Murder and Society - a series of 5 Podcasts
- Submitting institution
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St Mary's University, Twickenham
- Unit of assessment
- 27 - English Language and Literature
- Output identifier
- 064
- Type
- Q - Digital or visual media
- Publisher
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- Month
- July
- Year
- 2020
- URL
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https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-d7v9n-e33cdd?utm_campaign=a_share_ep&utm_medium=dlink&utm_source=a_share
- Supplementary information
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- Request cross-referral to
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- Output has been delayed by COVID-19
- No
- COVID-19 affected output statement
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- Forensic science
- No
- Criminology
- No
- Interdisciplinary
- No
- Number of additional authors
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- Research group(s)
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- Proposed double-weighted
- No
- Reserve for an output with double weighting
- No
- Additional information
- The research process
Through consideration of murder cases in the press, screen media and podcasts, this series interrogates representations of true crime and how they contribute to debates in contemporary culture and society. Underpinned by interviews with police, criminologists, academics (such as Sarah Moore and Mikita Brottman) and charity researchers (e.g., Centre for Modern Slavery) Murder Society addresses the following questions:
• How can media analysis of homicide victims shed light on the way that social groups are constructed, dependent on intersectional factors of race, gender, class, mental and physical health?
• What problematic representations occur within the media, from stereotypical images of the ‘shackled victim’ in human trafficking, to the celebrification of serial killers? How do these myths prevent public identification of crime?
• How does textual analysis of crime news/entertainment inform debates of a risk society?
• How have digital technologies and new podcast formats contributed to narrative transportation and cross-platform immersion?
In terms of methodology – the podcast includes media analysis of key audio-visual and written documents, such as true crime screen media, government reviews and legislation, as well as oral histories and discussion with academics and experts. It has developed out of my own experience as an ISAC (independent Stalking Advocacy Caseworker) working with victims/survivors of stalking, abuse and homicide.
The research insights
Critiquing media depictions of victims and perpetrators has provided valuable insights into the often-invisible ways that social groups are constructed. Media texts position the perpetrator at the centre of these stories, often using monikers to describe them, which contributes to their mythical, celebrity status; whilst the victims-survivors and their families are relegated to the periphery, if they are included at all.
The dissemination
Murder Society is available on most podcast channels and is also used as a resource for undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
- Author contribution statement
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- Non-English
- No
- English abstract
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