Carceral statecraft in crisis: Symbolic resilience and the erosion of accountability
Critical Social Policy: A Journal of Theory and Practice in Social Welfare
Published online on June 25, 2026
Abstract
Critical Social Policy, Ahead of Print.
This article introduces 'symbolic resilience' to explain how governments maintain the appearance of control during crises while limiting culpability. Using 44 interviews with senior prison policymakers and stakeholders, the article analyses prison ...
This article introduces 'symbolic resilience' to explain how governments maintain the appearance of control during crises while limiting culpability. Using 44 interviews with senior prison policymakers and stakeholders, the article analyses prison ...