Exploring Carceral Recovery with Sanaullah Khan
Episode Overview
Explores the relationship between carceral conditions and substance use. Highlights the contradictions within the healthcare system. Discusses the paradoxes of care and punishment in addiction recovery. Advocates for a more humane approach to recovery. Uses archival research, interviews, and ethnography for insights.
Recovery, even after coming out of prison, still carries carceral elements. It's about how prison techniques bleed into other sites.
In this episode of 'New Books in Drugs, Addiction and Recovery', Sanaullah Khan takes centre stage to discuss his book 'Carceral Recovery: Prisons, Drug Markets, and the New Pharmaceutical Self'. Khan's research focuses on the complex relationship between carceral conditions and substance use, particularly in Baltimore. He explores how housing, medicalisation, and incarceration contribute to the cycle of addiction and recovery, creating new pharmaceutical identities for those affected.
Khan's insights shed light on the paradoxes of care and punishment within the system, revealing how individuals are propelled into a regime of recovery that is both supportive and punitive. Khan's journey began during his graduate studies at Johns Hopkins University, where he was struck by the visible social suffering in Baltimore. His book delves into the intersections of drug markets, sidewalks, households, and prisons, painting a vivid picture of the challenges faced by individuals caught in this web.
Through a combination of archival research, interviews, and ethnography, Khan uncovers the contradictions within the healthcare system and its impact on local communities. The discussion also touches on notable cases like Freddie Gray, highlighting how systemic issues perpetuate the cycle of addiction and incarceration. Khan's work challenges the traditional notions of recovery, advocating for a more humane approach that moves away from punitive measures. He emphasises the need to rethink recovery strategies to reduce harm and support individuals more effectively.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of addiction recovery within carceral settings. It offers a thought-provoking perspective on how societal structures influence individual experiences and calls for a shift towards more compassionate treatment methods.