Learning in prison as a challenge for Learning Cities. Reflections from the Learning Math in Prison project


Abstract:

he concept of Learning City aims to promote inclusive learning for all, from basic to higher education, including marginalized social groups. In this context, persons in prison represent one such group, in spatial and symbolic terms (Goffman, 1961). Prisons are closed institutions (Verdolini, 2022), increasingly relocated to urban peripheries (Vianello, 2019), where those who have committed crimes are hidden from the active life of cities. This exclusion often extends to access to educational opportunities, including formal education (Decembrotto, 2024). There is a lack of reflection on the inclusive dimension of teaching in prison (De Rocco, Muratori, 2024). This contribution presents findings from the Learning Math in Prison research project on the role of learning in prison. It builds on reflections developed with teachers and students from CPIA to promote accessible and participatory mathematics education in prison.