Description
Book SynopsisIn Southern Mercy, Annette Bickford examines the limits of emancipation, and the exclusions inherent in liberal humanism that distinguish racism in the contemporary post-race era.
Trade Review"Annette Louise Bickford inquires as to the degree of mercy that operated in early-twentieth century juvenile reform in the U.S. South … The book offers excellent archival research about the realities of life in mid-century juvenile reformatories… Her theoretical framework grounded in a critique of liberal humanism is intriguing and should raise interest especially among graduate students. " -- Karin L. Zipf * The American Historical Review, Volume 123, Issue 3, 1 June 2018 *
"Southern Mercy is a fascinating study of North Carolina’s juvenile reform institutions from their founding to the World War II era…Bickford joins a broader conversation about Enlightenment-based liberal humanism as fundamentally underwritten by systemic racism and sexism." -- Susan K. Cahn, SUNY Buffalo * The Journal of American History, Sept. 2018 *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction Chapter 1: Swamp Island Chapter 2: The Samarcand Arson Case Chapter 3: The Energy of Despair Chapter 4: The Merciful Executioner Chapter 5: The Prodigal Son Epilogue Bibliography Notes Index
