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In the 21st century celebrities and celebrity culture thrives. This book explores the much noted but little analyzed relationship between celebrity and crime. Criminals who become celebrities and celebrities who become criminals are examined, drawing on Foucault's theory of governance.
Jeffrey Dahmer. Ted Bundy. John Wayne Gacy. Over the past thirty years, serial killers have become iconic figures in America, the subject of made-for-TV movies and mass-market paperbacks alike. But why do we find such luridly transgressive and horrific individuals so fascinating? What compels us to look more closely at these figures when we really want to look away? Natural Born Celebrities considers how serial killers have become lionized in American culture and explores the consequences of their fame. David Schmid provides a historical account of how serial killers became famous and how that fame has been used in popular media and the corridors of the FBI alike. Ranging from H. H. Holmes, whose killing spree during the 1893 Chicago World's Fair inspired The Devil in the White City, right up to Aileen Wuornos, the lesbian prostitute whose vicious murder of seven men would serve as the basis for the hit film Monster, Schmid unveils a new understanding of serial killers by emphasizing both the social dimensions of their crimes and their susceptibility to multiple interpretations and uses. He also explores why serial killers have become endemic in popular culture, from their depiction in The Silence of the Lambs and The X-Files to their becoming the stuff of trading cards and even Web sites where you can buy their hair and nail clippings. Bringing his fascinating history right up to the present, Schmid ultimately argues that America needs the perversely familiar figure of the serial killer now more than ever to manage the fear posed by Osama bin Laden since September 11. "This is a persuasively argued, meticulously researched, and compelling examination of the media phenomenon of the 'celebrity criminal' in American culture. It is highly readable as well."—Joyce Carol Oates
“The fascinating lives of the women who hit hard times . . . investigat[es] the stories behind the faces in the incredible images.” —Al Bawaba Women are among the hardest individuals to trace through the historical record and this is especially true of female offenders who had a vested interest in not wanting to be found. That is why this thought-provoking and accessible handbook by Lucy Williams and Barry Godfrey is of such value. It looks beyond the crimes and the newspaper reports of women criminals in the Victorian era in order to reveal the reality of their personal and penal journeys, and it provides a guide for researchers who are keen to explore this intriguing and neglected subject. The book is split into three sections. There is an introduction outlining the historical context for the study of female crime and punishment, then a series of real-life case studies which show in a vivid way the complexity of female offenders’ lives and follows them through the penal system. The third section is a detailed guide to archival and online sources that readers can consult in order to explore the life-histories of criminal women. The result is a rare combination of academic guide and how-to-do-it manual. It introduces readers to the latest research in the field and it gives them all the information they need to carry out their own research. “The core of the book consists of some 30 case studies of women who went through the system, their offences (from drunkenness and petty theft to murder) and their punishments (from fines or prison to transportation or execution).” —Police History Society
Delve into The Dark Allure of Serial Killers and Their Grip on Society In a world where true crime dominates our screens and headlines, "Monsters in the Spotlight: How Serial Killers Captivate Our Culture" offers a chilling and compelling exploration of our fascination with the darkest facets of human nature. Why do we find ourselves irresistibly drawn to tales of terror and tragedy? This book begins with a historical context, tracing back the roots of our society's obsession with serial killers and how early public reactions have shaped our current morbid curiosity. Dive deep into the psychological underpinnings that reveal what makes these killers tick. Analyze common psychological traits and uncover what lurks within the minds of these infamous criminals. Experience the visceral impact of media sensationalism as it catapults these monsters from the shadows to center stage. Discover how newspapers and television have played a crucial role in creating a macabre form of celebrity status for these individuals. The book doesn't shy away from the societal impact of this obsession, detailing changes in public behavior, law enforcement reactions, and the moral complexities involved. Ethical implications are considered deeply, respecting victims and their families while dissecting the morality of our fascination. Gain insights from expert interviews and psychological perspectives that offer explanations and theories on the nature versus nurture debate. Understand the global perspectives and how different cultures perceive these sinister figures. Finally, step into the future implications of predicting serial killer behavior and how evolving public perceptions could shape our world. Whether you're a true crime aficionado or a curious observer, this book promises to captivate, horrify, and provoke thoughtful reflection on the enigmatic allure of serial killers in our culture.
This book explores the cultural meanings of the criminal body in the west through historical and multidisciplinary frameworks, examining both how the criminal corpse was viewed as a repository of power and how it held significant cultural meaning as material relic. Authors situate the criminal body at different historical junctures to examine ways in which the criminal corpse was displayed and managed for social, political, magical and medicinal powers and purposes. They explain how this legacy persists in significant ways in the contemporary west, primarily through the commodification of criminal bodies in popular and public displays. The role of notorious criminal bodies in contemporary culture also reverberates in political and scientific realms in which criminal bodies often carry symbolic meanings related to ambivalence over interpretations of death. Drawing on examples from history as well as more contemporary criminal bodies, the book will be of interest to those studying death and criminology, and show how the criminal body can retain an iconic status in the collective memory of the living. This book was originally published as a special issue of Mortality.
This book offers a critical look at celebrity and celebrities throughout history, emphasizing the development of celebrity as a concept, its relevance to individuals, and the role of the public and celebrities in popular culture. Tabloid magazines, television shows, and Internet sites inundate us with daily updates about movie stars, musicians, athletes, and even those who have achieved celebrity status simply for being rich and extravagant. Disturbingly, it appears that the harder our celebrities fall, the more fascinating they are to us. As popular culture becomes more influential, it is important to understand both the positive and negative aspects of celebrity. This volume traces the development of the concept of celebrity, discusses some of the problems facing both celebrities and their followers, and points to future trends and developments in our cultural understanding of celebrity. The author's treatment is unflinchingly honest, revealing the importance of the public's role in celebrities' lives and establishing firm criteria for determining who is a celebrity—and who is not.
This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. This book provides the most in-depth study of capital punishment in Scotland between the mid-eighteenth and early nineteenth century to date. Based upon an extensive gathering and analysis of previously untapped resources, it takes the reader on a journey from the courtrooms of Scotland to the theatre of the gallows. It introduces them to several of the malefactors who faced the hangman’s noose and explores the traditional hallmarks of the spectacle of the scaffold. It demonstrates that the period between 1740 and 1834 was one of discussion, debate and fundamental change in the use of the death sentence and how it was staged in practice. In addition, the study provides an innovative investigation of the post-mortem punishment of the criminal corpse. It offers the reader an insight into the scene at the foot of the gibbets from which criminal bodies were displayed and around the dissection tables of Scotland’s main universities where criminal bodies were used as cadavers for anatomical demonstration. In doing so it reveals an intermediate stage in the long-term disappearance of public bodily punishment.
′Media and Crime is a thought-provoking and scholarly work written in a very lively style. It will be of interest to readers of SCHOLAG whether or not they have some knowledge of criminological theories.′ Jean McFadden, SCOLAG Journal `Criminologists and a bewildering array of other voices have commented on the relationship between media and crime on many occasions over many decades. Those of us who have worked and taught in this area have often sensed the lack of an authoritative, systematic and up to date text to which one could refer with confidence. Yvonne Jewkes has now given us that book and we are in her debt. Jewkes is one of the few who knows the fields of both media studies and criminology equally well. She writes with confidence, clarity, insight and style. Media and Crime does not just cover the debate, it moves it forward. This is a striking and admirable achievement. This book will be widely read and widely welcomed by students and by Jewkes′s academic peers′ - Professor Richard Sparks, University of Edinburgh `The book reviews key media and criminological debates against contemporary developments in the media and twenty-first century concerns about crime. More than that Media and Crime is intellectually provocative, lucid, astute and simply a good read′ - Dr Maggie Wykes, University of Sheffield `A thought-provoking critical analysis of how the mass media construct the issue of crime in the public realm. Clearly written and based on a wide-ranging review of research on crime and media it will be an invaluable source for students′ - Professor Robert Reiner, London School of Economics and Politcal Science `This book offers a vibrant and lucid guide to the constructions of crime in media culture, and the complex interactions between consumers and producers. Comprehensive and authoritatively written, Media and Crime should appear on all essential reading lists for students of criminology and media culture′ - Paul Mason, Southampton Institute * Why do only certain criminal events become thrust into the public sphere with sufficient vigour to shape public fears of victimization? * Why are some crimes sustained by sufficiently intense public outcry to become part of our cultural fabric, while other, almost identical incidents, fail to capture the collective imagination? * Why do some very serious crimes cast a much longer shadow than others, and some offenders take on an iconic evilness while others fade into quiet obscurity? This book points a critical spotlight on media constructions of crime and social control, developing our understanding of the relationship between media and crime, and taking existing knowledge in new directions. Media and Crime is an accessible text with a strong pedagogic purpose, making it an ideal introduction to the study of crime and the mass media for undergraduate and postgraduate students. The author interrogates the most important literature in the field as well as moving the debates forward with new ideas and values. Substantive topics of current interest are covered, including: * news reporting of crime * media constructions of children and women as victims and offenders * moral panics over paedophiles * the relationship between the media and the police * ′reality′ crime shows * surveillance and social control * new media. Chapter overviews, key terms, study questions and suggestions for further reading map the key issues in this vital and topical area of debate. The book is essential reading for students in a wide range of academic fields including criminology, media studies, sociology, gender studies and psychology.