Rethinking incarcerated women's leisure as subjected to coercive and normative prison missions
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Frontiers in sports and active living ; vol. 2.Éditeur·s
Frontiers MediaAuteur·e·s
Résumé·s
Leisure is commonly understood as contributing to well-being; this is especially appealing
when considering multiply marginalized populations such as incarcerated women.
However, leisure is not impervious to cooptation by less benevolent social processes. In
this conceptual analysis, I argue that incarcerated women’s leisure must be rethought as a
component of its environment and by extension, as subjected to coercive and normative
prison missions. After broadly delineating incarcerated women’s leisure, I determine that
some characteristics of leisure can be compatible with these prison missions. I then
examine individual, organizational, and social benefits and issues with leisure in women’s
prisons. I link these practices to reduced coerciveness and increased normativity. I
conclude by suggesting that ensuring incarcerated people’s well-being through leisure
is not in itself an end, but a means to achieve prison’s coercive and normative ends. I
discuss implications for scholars, practitioners, and advocates.