Rethinking hospitality in incarcerated spaces: the case of the Clink

This research letter presents a conceptual discussion of the tensions of hospitality within carceral spaces, using the example of The Clink in-prison training restaurant. By analysing visitor-prisoner encounters, we unsettle normative boundaries between hospitality and hostility, and the rigid dichotomy of the free guest versus the imprisoned host. We argue that while visiting carceral spaces reveals novel tensions regarding the experiences of those lacking basic hospitality rights, they also function as avenues for social transformation, reorienting visitors from voyeuristic seeking to active participants in rehabilitative efforts. By temporarily suspending hierarchies, hospitality serves as a critical lens to uncover complexities in rehabilitation, reduce stigma and foster social integration on the margins.