Jessica Whatcott
Behavioral and Social Sciences Building 548
707.826.3148
Spring 2013 Office Hours: M 2:00-4:00
W 12:00-1:00 & by appt.
Jessica's vision is world where violence is not used as a tool of systematic oppression and inequality. She studies and takes action against all forms of violence, from state-level violence to interpersonal control. Her areas of interest and research include prison abolition and building community-based accountability processes; movements and strategies for ending sexualized violence and domestic violence; feminist research methods; and interdisciplinary approaches to the study of politics. Jessica explores the many connections between theory and action for social justice. She draws on women of color feminisms, queer and trans theory, post-colonial theory, Marxist theory, and anarchist theory to develop and enrich her social activism and to inspire students and others to take action for justice.
Jessica teaches introductory courses for the CRGS department. She also serves as the advisor for the new CouRaGeouS! club at HSU. She is an HSU alum, having received her Master's Degree in Social Science through the Environment and Community program. Her thesis was titled "The Politics of Violence: An Intersectional Feminist Audit of Institutions and Discourses in Humboldt County."
Jessica also works for Humboldt County Teen Court, where she helps to provide a diversion option for youth who have been arrested or cited for misdemeanor crimes. She volunteers as the outreach coordinator for Bar None, a local prison abolition and human rights monitoring organization based in Humboldt County that works with prisoners across the state of California.