Associate professor of African American studies Benjamin Weber joins Chancellor Gary S. May on this month’s episode of Face to Face.

Weber’s work is centered around the history of social movements, the impacts of colonialism and racial inequality. He analyzes the past to inform solving today’s biggest problems, such as mass incarceration, which is the focus of his new book, American Purgatory: Prison Imperialism and the Rise of Mass Incarceration. The book traces the historical legacies of prisons and efforts to reform them.

“Historians and policymakers and Black studies professors are always trying to figure out: ‘How do we get one step ahead of these reforms that in name are trying to rehabilitate, but then produce both intended and unintended consequences?’” he said.

Missing link

A product of the Bay Area, Weber earned his Ph.D. and master’s degree in history from Harvard, yet he felt something was missing from his curricula. African American studies provided “the missing framework” for Weber to analyze history with a new lens, he said. 

Hear Weber and May discuss the Open Letters from Prison project, a pandemic-era writing group with prisoners that broke the added isolation of COVID-19 restrictions. They also discuss their hopes for the Austin and Arutha Goss Presidential Endowed Chair, the university’s first in the Department of African American and African Studies. 

Stick around for playlist recommendations and a timely answer to a hypothetical dinner date scenario. 

More episodes of ‘Face to Face’

Chancellor May has interviewed more than 40 guests on his monthly talk show, including faculty, staff and students.

Listen to all of the conversations on the Face to Face webpage.