Nolan Bennett

Nolan Bennett serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at California Polytechnic State University, specializing in American Political Thought, Law and Literature, and Prisons and Punishment. His scholarly trajectory includes appointments at Duke University, Georgetown University, and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay prior to joining Cal Poly.

His academic credentials:

• Ph.D. in Government, Cornell University (2015)
• B.A. in Political Science, University of California, Los Angeles (2008)

Professor Bennett's research excavates political-legal thought from incarcerated activists through interdisciplinary analysis of autobiographical writings and penal policy history. His work reveals how figures like George Jackson, Alexander Berkman, and Frederick Douglass construct democratic theory from within carceral systems, challenging conventional narratives of American political development. This approach bridges textual analysis with institutional critique to expose how punishment shapes citizenship.

His recent publications demonstrate consistent thematic focus across prestigious venues: 2023's Berkman analysis in American Political Science Review examines anarchist prison resistance, while 2021's Political Theory article analyzes life-without-parole sentencing as state-sanctioned death. His Oxford University Press monograph establishes autobiography as foundational to American democratic theory, with subsequent work extending this framework to contemporary penal issues like jail fees and solitary confinement.

Professor Bennett maintains active engagement with prison education initiatives and community activism, particularly in his native Oakland. His teaching philosophy integrates theoretical rigor with practical justice work, emphasizing how marginalized voices redefine democracy through narrative resistance. Current research centers on George Jackson's revolutionary theory and its implications for contemporary abolitionist movements.