Beyond the Rhetoric of Pain presents a fresh, interdisciplinary approach to the current research on pain from a variety of scholarly angles within Literature, Film and Media, Game Studies, Art History, Hispanic Studies, Memory Studies, Anthropology, Sociology, Philosophy, and Law. Through the combination of these perspectives, this volume goes beyond the existing structures within and across these disciplines framing new concepts of pain in attitude, practice, language, and ethics of response to pain. Comprised of fourteen unique essays, Beyond the Rhetoric of Pain maintains a common thread of analysis using a historical and cultural lens to explore the rhetoric of pain. Considering various methodologies, this volume questions the ethical, social and political demands pain makes upon those who feel, watch or speak it. Arranged to move from historical cases and relevance of pain in history towards the contemporary movement, topics include pain as a social figure, rhetorical tool, artistic metaphor, and political representation in jurisprudence.

Beyond the Rhetoric of Pain presents a fresh, interdisciplinary approach to the current research on pain from a variety of scholarly angles within Literature, Film and Media, Game Studies, Art History, Hispanic Studies, Memory Studies, Anthropology, Sociology, Philosophy, and Law. Through the combination of these perspectives, this volume goes beyond the existing structures within and across these disciplines framing new concepts of pain in attitude, practice, language, and ethics of response to pain. Comprised of fourteen unique essays, Beyond the Rhetoric of Pain maintains a common thread of analysis using a historical and cultural lens to explore the rhetoric of pain. Considering various methodologies, this volume questions the ethical, social and political demands pain makes upon those who feel, watch or speak it. Arranged to move from historical cases and relevance of pain in history towards the contemporary movement, topics include pain as a social figure, rhetorical tool, artistic metaphor, and political representation in jurisprudence.

In meiner Magisterarbeit untersuche ich drei zeitgenossische Spielfilme - V for Vendetta, Munich und Children of Men - in Hinblick auf ihre Gewalterzahlung. Ausgangspunkt der Arbeit ist die Uberlegung, dass sich die grundsatzliche mo- lische und kunstlerische Problematik in der Darstellung von Gewalt im Film im Falle von 9/11 noch verscharft. Zum einen wurde das Medium Film beschuldigt, insbesondere der spektakulare Actionfilm, die virtuelle Vorlage fur die Terror- tacken geliefert zu haben: Die Kollision der Flugzeuge, die brennenden und kollabierenden Twin Towers und die Panik auf den Strassen mutete vielen an wie aus einem Actionfilm entsprungen. Zum anderen wurde unmittelbar nach den Angriffen eine gewisse Zuruckhaltung und Rucksicht bezuglich der grafischen Darstellung eines traumatischen Ereignisses wie 9/11 erwartet. Die Fiktion selbst schien Realitat geworden zu sein, und die traumatische Realitat war fur den Moment in ihrer Ganze nicht zu verarbeiten oder zu begreifen. Sowohl die g- fisch-realistische Gewaltdarstellung als auch das Spektakel gehoren jedoch zum festen Repertoire traditioneller Erzahltechnik des Terrorismus- und Actionfilms. Meine Arbeit behandelt die Antworten auf diese kunstlerischen Herausf- derungen in drei Actionfilmen, die wenige Jahre nach 9/11 erschienen. Diese Filme erzahlen Geschichten uber Terrorismus im Actionfilm-Format und erst- len aktuelle politische Bezuge. Die Gewalterzahlung jedes Filmes wird in jeweils drei Abschnitten untersucht, in Hinblick auf Inhalt, filmische Darstellungs- thoden und Referenzen auf politische Entwicklungen bzw. auf die eingangs sk- zierte Problematik. Der erste Abschnitt behandelt Rechtfertigungsmuster von Gewalt und die Gegenuberstellung von Terrorismus mit anderen Formen der Gewalt."

Examines the ways in which moving images can help us better understand factual political torture Examines role of images and film in (mis)understanding of torture Offers synergised knowledge through comparative angle, exploring differences and continuities of torture cases which were documented to vastly different extents Includes key popular movies, independent films as well as serial television Combines serious film analysis with ethical-political questions and historically and theoretically informed research Expands on the latest developments of comparative media scholarship, and integrates the nostalgic, material and affective "turn." Academic work on the subject of torture tends to mirror public debates on its presumed utility, to focus on its historically 'correct' representation or on profilmic structures of identification. This book moves beyond these ideologically charged questions to explore how contemporary films have responded to a growing popular distrust in visual evidence when referencing factual cases of torture. Two cases studies - the United States around 2004 and Chile from 1973 until the end of the dictatorship - provide either an abundance or lack of such visual evidence. Drawing on films and television series such as Zero Dark Thirty (2012), NO (2012), Homeland (2011-) and Los 80 (2008-14), amongst many others, this book analyses the visible components of torture but also its invisibilities. By casting a wider net on the definition of torture, the author promotes a radical, theoretical reframing of our concept of torture and suggests that audiovisual products can help broaden our comprehension of torture as an event which includes collective and emotional dimensions and long-term social effects.

Examines the ways in which moving images can help us better understand factual political torture Examines role of images and film in (mis)understanding of torture Offers synergised knowledge through comparative angle, exploring differences and continuities of torture cases which were documented to vastly different extents Includes key popular movies, independent films as well as serial television Combines serious film analysis with ethical-political questions and historically and theoretically informed research Expands on the latest developments of comparative media scholarship, and integrates the nostalgic, material and affective turn" Academic work on the subject of torture tends to mirror public debates on its presumed utility