Joy and Justice: Collaborating toward Freedom

We live in a time and a place where the cage has become naturalized, where punitive, punishing measures are the “normal,” “common sense” responses to any harm or despair. Crushing cruelty deletes care and support. We’re joined by two powerful thinkers and life-long freedom-fighters: Beth Richie is head of the Department of Criminology, Law, and Justice at the University of Illinois at Chicago; Erica Meiners is a professor of education, and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies at Northeastern Illinois University. They have worked together for decades, most recently on a book they co-authored with Gina Dent and Angela Davis: Abolition. Feminism. Now. Bonus: At the end of this Episode, Light Ayli discusses her insights into the underlying horrors of war based on a classic novel she recently read for school. Dazzling.Transition music from Dr. Sparkles’ song Great Bus Journeys of the West Midlands Pt 2. © Disclaimer.  Additional music from One Man Book's song Native Ocean© (Disclaimer) and Blue Sky Moon's song Burnt Utopia.© Disclaimer License.

Om Podcasten

“Under the Tree” is a new podcast that focuses on freedom—a complex, layered, dynamic, and often contradictory idea—and takes you on a journey each week to fundamentally reimagine how we can bring freedom and liberation to life in relation to schools and schooling, equality and justice, and learning to live together in peace. Our podcast opens a crawl-space, a fugitive field and firmament where we can both explore our wildest freedom dreams, and organize for a liberating insurgency. "Under the Tree" is a seminar, and it runs the gamut from current events to the arts, from history lessons to scientific inquiries, and from essential readings to frequent guest speakers. We’re in the midst of the largest social uprising in US history—and what better time to dive headfirst into the wreckage, figuring out as we go how to support the rebellion, name it, and work together to realize its most radical possibilities—and to reach its farthest horizons?