What is it about?
Foucault argued that prisons are a modern phenomenon. This paper considers the functions of imprisonment in early Mesopotamia. While an exact correspondence to modern examples does not exist, this paper argues that this evidence from early human history belongs in a world history of prisons.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
This paper demonstrates the numerous ways in which imprisonment was employed in early Mesopotamia. The idea of personal reform and correction, which is prevalent with modern examples of prisons, is not new.
Perspectives
Studying imprisonment in ancient Mesopotamia provides an apolitical context to test important assumptions about the effectiveness of prisons.
John Nicholas Reid
Reformed Theological Seminary
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The Birth of the Prison: The Functions of Imprisonment in Early Mesopotamia, Journal of Ancient Near Eastern History, February 2018, De Gruyter,
DOI: 10.1515/janeh-2017-0008.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
