On the latest episode of 13, Assistant Professor of Sociology Justin Helepololei takes an in-depth look at the U.S. prison system. Hear about prisons across the country as Helepololei examines the concept of incarceration through the lens of an anthropologist.
Helepololei is a cultural anthropologist and native Hawaiian who grew up in Arizona. He has participated in activist work at the United States-Mexican border, as well as efforts surrounding housing justice, criminal justice reform, and prison abolition in Massachusetts. Helepololei is also passionate about accessibility in higher education.
Prior to coming to Colgate in 2021, Helepololei worked for the University of Massachusetts Amherst Alliance for Community Transformation, facilitating courses on grassroots community organizing and relational organizing.
Helepololei earned his bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Arizona State University and his doctorate from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Each episode of 13, Colgate’s award-winning podcast, digs into the work of a University community member by asking questions. Episodes highlight the wide array of academic disciplines at Colgate, with interviews featuring faculty from political science, sociology and anthropology, physics and astronomy, women’s studies, English, Africana and Latin American studies, and many more.
Find 13 on your favorite podcast platform, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.