1. Whiteness is a social and political idea that determines who can access resources, safety, and full citizenship. It is more than just skin color; it includes a set of advantages and meanings that make inequality seem normal. Whiteness helps explain why some people get different treatment in jobs, housing, police actions, and social services. It marks certain people as more deserving of rights and opportunities. Racism includes the practices, laws, and social norms that keep this system in place. Because capitalism relies on taking advantage of workers and managing populations, it uses racial categories – like whiteness – to classify people into roles that can be exploited or ignored. To fight racism, we need to address these economic structures and cultural attitudes as well.
2. According to Gilmore, the prison system helps create new “criminals” because once someone enters the system, it becomes hard for them to escape that label. She explains that prisons and criminalization keep expanding, with longer sentences and more behaviors being treated as crimes. After people leave prison, they often struggle to get jobs, housing, or support, so they remain trapped in the same cycle. In that way, the system keeps reproducing the category of the “criminal person.” I agree with her argument because when society constantly treats someone like a criminal even after they have served their sentence, it becomes harder for them to rebuild their life. Instead of helping people return successfully to their communities, the system often pushes them back into situations where they are more likely to end up involved with the justice system again.
3. What I understood from Gilmore’s idea of “liberation struggle” is that it is about communities organizing together to fight against unfair systems and improve their lives. What stood out to me was her idea that liberation struggles are always connected to real places and real people. In the example from Lisbon, people organized not only to save their homes but also to protect their community and support each other. They created spaces where they discussed politics, racism, history, and social issues together instead of staying silent. I liked how Gilmore described solidarity as something people continuously build and remake through collective effort. For me, liberation struggle means people coming together, learning from one another, and taking action to create change instead of waiting for institutions to solve problems for them.

1. To attempt to answer this question is the crux of modern societal debate so at the risk of sounding like I’m copping out, I will try to keep my reply within the scope and confines of Gilmore’s comments about early Eurocentric society. Gilmore remarked that historical European societies were already perpetuating slavery and racism among those same societies/countries, which has only been exacerbated in their descendants that are now commonly thought of as “white” and the era of colonialism. While not unique to European colonialism, racism and slavery of other race was most widely spread by “white” Europeans, of which the effects are still felt today. When these beliefs and practices are so intrinsically tied to a culture and continually practiced and repeated through generations it becomes so closely associated with their identity(ies) it is near impossible to separate, much less change.  

2. According to Gilmore, new ‘criminal persons’ are created by those in power by reclassifying what is considered criminal, and the prison systems, or rather the expansion of prisons, is one of the factors that influence the creation of new criminals. The combination of racism and capitalism play a part in that process; the criminalization of marijuana as a notable example. I agree with Gilmore in this instance.              The criminalization of marijuana stemmed from a way to deter or repress Black populations from voting in the Jim Crow era South, as it was a common activity among that demographic. Racism can be considered as the top contributing factor, ‘creating’ new criminals which are now sent to a growing prison system, feeding the capitalist part of this process.

3. I interpret ‘liberation struggle’ to mean the fight against capitalism and slavery in the modern form, which Gilmore posits is cause and effect, respectively. While racism is tied to more than just capitalism, the struggle in modern day is now raising awareness and continuing to show how they are linked with a presumed end goal of eliminating capitalism as a form of society. The liberation is not just limited to non-whites, it is for any society that practices capitalism and as such, the struggle isn’t limited to any one race or people, it is meant to allow any and all societies to reject it.

1. Ruth Wilson Gilmore talks about whiteness as more than just skin color. She explains it as a system where white people have historically had more power, privileges, and advantages compared to other groups. Racism is not only about how individuals treat each other, but also about how society is set up to benefit some people while making things harder for others. Certain groups gain opportunities, protection, and economic benefits from this system, which is one reason racism still exists today. I think Gilmore believes that if those unfair advantages stopped being protected by society, racism would slowly start to fade over time.
2. Gilmore believes the prison system can actually push people deeper into crime instead of helping them change. Once someone is labeled as a criminal, it becomes really hard for them to get a job, find housing, go back to school, or even be accepted by society again. Because so many doors are closed on them, some people end up going back to illegal activities just to survive. Instead of focusing on rehabilitation, the system keeps punishing people even after they are released. I agree with her because it seems unfair that someone can serve their sentence but still be treated badly for the rest of their life because of their record.
3. To me, liberation struggles are about people working together to change unfair systems and create better opportunities for everyone. It is not just about talking about freedom, but actually making life better for people who are struggling. Gilmore’s idea of liberation focuses on fixing the root problems in society, like lack of housing, jobs, education, and support systems. I agree with her because real equality cannot happen if people are still stuck dealing with poverty, discrimination, and unfair treatment every day. Change happens when communities come together and work toward a society where everyone has the same chance to succeed.

1. Ruth Wilson Gilmore argues that whiteness is not just about skin color but a system that gives certain groups power, privilege and even economic advantages. Racism exists because it benefits a certain demographic while marginalizing another, if society where to stop proceeding in those advantages maybe racism would stop.
2. Gilmore says the prison system creates new criminals by putting that label on them and making it harder for them to rebuild their lives after release. Formerly incarcerated individuals face struggles after getting released with housing, employment and education which can push them back into old habits with that label “criminal” being created. I agree with her views because the system often punishes even after being released.
3. I understand liberation struggles as an effort to build a society based on justice, equality and rights rather than punishment, advantage and exploitation. It means addressing the root of the problems so everyone and every demographic can thrive.

1. Whiteness and racism are connected because “whiteness” is not just as a skin color. When looking at it as a social category, we see that white people have been giving things like power, privilege and the ability to set the norm. In that sense, racism isn’t only about individual prejudice. It’s works as a system that organizes who gets valued, protected, and included, and whiteness has historically sat at the center of that system.
2. Gilmore argues that prisons create “criminals” by tracking and restricting ex-convicts. Convictions block housing opportunities, jobs, education and social opportunities. It makes existing as a normal person harder, and they might turn to doing illegal things again just to get by. In her view, the system responds to crime, but it also helps with creating it. The system pushes the conditions that keep people instead of jail, instead of it being a sort of rehabilitation.
3. I think Gilmore means that a liberation struggle is when people work together to change the conditions that keep others oppressed, not just talk about freedom in a general way. To me, she’s saying real liberation takes collective action and is about building better housing, jobs, safety, and support systems. I agree with her because freedom is more real when people actually work to improve the conditions of everyday life.

1) Ruth Gilmore connects “whiteness” and racism by explaining that whiteness has historically been linked to power, privilege, and advantage in society. Racism continues when systems mainly benefit certain groups while disadvantaging others.

2) Gilmore argues that the prison system can create more “criminals” because people who go to prison often struggle to find jobs, housing, and opportunities after release. This can push people back into crime and continue the cycle. I agree because many people are judged by their record even after serving their time.

3) I understand “liberation struggle” as people coming together to fight injustice and create equality. Gilmore believes liberation is about changing unfair systems and improving opportunities for communities that are being harmed or excluded.

1. Ruth Gilmore’s interpretation of whiteness is the association of racism and whiteness as not only a social construct in racism, but also an economic and politically privileged social ranking construct with institutional support structures sustaining it. In an economic and social context, together with racism in the capitalism system, there exists a social class structure. The social structure further reinforces and maintains a class system of inequality. According to Gilmore, racism provides the social fabric to the class structure that maintains the privileged system of support to the elite and positions the rest of the population as expendable or criminallized. Social class system is institutionalized, racism is also institutionalized. Most of the social institution structures are embedded with racism. Therefore a social system is also an economic and political framework in support of racism, for social injustice. That’s the feminism perspective neo-marxism signifying philosophy behind Gilmore’s thought.
2. Gilmore argues that prison systems are designed to create lifelong “criminals.” Once individuals are given the “criminal” label, barriers that are almost impenetrable are created, repeatedly directing these individuals into the system. Obtaining employable work, finding housing and education, and even basic social acceptance are extremely challenging to obtain for formerly incarcerated people. Because of this, the system further perpetuates a lack of opportunity, and it becomes increasingly difficult to not be treated as a “criminal” once again. Gilmore argues that prisons not only fail to address social issues, but they also perpetuate an unfair, and punishing, equality. I agree with her to some extent as I, too, believe people are released back onto the streets with decreased, and sometimes nonexistent, opportunities, which further encourages a cycle of crime.
3. Gilmore concludes the video by saying that “liberation struggle” is working together to build a society that is more humane and just. Gilmore says the essence of liberation is building systems that care for and sustain people, and support people, like education, healthcare, housing, and community care. Liberation struggle puts an emphasis on working together, organizing, and tackling the root causes of social inequality, and goes against the supply and demand of punishment. I took her message to encourage people to design and build alternatives that sustain people, and not just the mechanization and expansion of prisons and policing.

1. The connection between whiteness and racism is that it is a historically made tool in history. Gilmore says that capitalism uses a hierarchy to justify inequality, it is not just about black vs white. The root cause for Gilmore is more so the fact that capitalism requires inequality within it. You cannot have it at all unless one is below another. In my opinion, Europe has always had the upper hand in things through violence or force, which put them in the position they have been in hence why capitalism has been racist and full of inequality for years.
2. Gilmore says that criminals are being created by prison system as behaviors that fall under crimes are just expanding more and more. This is leading more people getting swallowed by the system as criminals. Sentences are getting longer but more importantly people have no support when released. The system has no way for people to get back on their feet. If anything all of those things people eventually going back to prison since that is all they know. I agree with her argument since I feel like reintegration into society cannot be the way we do it. Even a fish will die in open waters again if it is moved from a fish tank to a sea. You need to support people, but even more importantly make prison where people recover and better themselves not just a pure punishment.
3. She describes liberation struggle as being rooted in specific needs of people in a certain concentrated place. She uses the community in Portugal as an example, where the residents had organized not just for their rights but to save their neighborhood. They had practical organizing but also study groups on colonialism as well. Solidarity in her view does not exist unless you actively pursue it with ‘radical dependency” on one another. Liberation struggle is also about changing your ways and how you live around your common folk.

1. I think Gilmore is trying to say that racism is not just about individual people being prejudiced or hateful. It is connected to larger systems in society. In the video, she explains that capitalism has always depended on inequality and race became one of the ways people were divided. “ Whiteness ” became associated with power, privilege and access to opportunities, while other groups were often treated unfairly or pushed down socially and economically. I think her point is that even if society changed on the surface, systems of inequality could still continue in different forms if the structure itself does not change.
2. From what I understood in the video, Gilmore believes the prison system creates more “criminals” because it keeps expanding and makes it hard for people to escape the cycle once they enter it. She talks about how laws become stricter, sentences become longer and more behaviors become criminalized. At the same time, people leaving prison often struggle to find jobs, housing or support which can make it easier for them to end up back in the system again. I do agree with her view to some extent because if people are constantly punished but not given opportunities to rebuild their lives, the problem will continue instead of improving.
3. I understand “ liberation struggle ” as people working together to create better conditions for their communities and challenge systems they believe are unfair. In the last part of the video, Gilmore talks about people organizing to protect their homes, support one another and learn together through discussion and activism. To me, liberation struggle is not only about protests or resistance but also about solidarity, education and people helping each other build a stronger community. It is about trying to create a society where people are treated more fairly and have more opportunities.