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What do medieval knights, suicide bombers and "victimhood culture"
have in common? Betraying Dignity argues that in the second decade
of the twenty-first century, individuals, political parties and
nations around the world are abandoning the dignity-based culture
we established in the aftermath of two world wars, less than a
century ago. Disappointed or intimidated, many turn their backs on
the humanitarian, universalistic culture that presumes our inherent
human dignity and celebrates it as the basis of every individual's
equal human rights. Instead, people and nations are returning to a
much older, honor-based cultural structure. Because its ancient
logic and mentality take new forms (such as social network shaming
and certain aspects of "victimhood culture") -- we fail to
recognize them, and overlook the pitfalls of the old honor-based
structure. Narrating the history of honor-based societies, this
book distinguishes their underlying principle from the post-WWII
notion of dignity that underlies human rights. It makes the case
that in order to revive and strengthen dignity-based culture, the
concept of human dignity must be defined narrowly and succinctly,
and enhanced with the principle of respect. Continuing its
historical and cultural narrative, the book discusses contemporary
phenomena such as al-Qaeda terrorists, shaming via social network,
FoMO, and some features of the emerging "victimhood culture". The
book pays homage to Erich Fromm's classic Escape from Freedom.
Some women attack and harm men who abuse them. Social norms, law,
and films all participate in framing these occurrences, guiding us
in understanding and judging them. How do social, legal, and
cinematic conventions and mechanisms combine to lead us to condemn
these women or exonerate them? What is it, exactly, that they teach
us to find such women guilty or innocent of, and how do they do so?
Through innovative readings of a dozen movies made between 1928 and
2001 in Europe, Japan, and the United States, Orit Kamir shows that
in representing "gender crimes," feature films have constructed a
cinematic jurisprudence, training audiences worldwide in patterns
of judgment of women (and men) in such situations. Offering a novel
formulation of the emerging field of law and film, Kamir combines
basic legal concepts-murder, rape, provocation, insanity, and
self-defense-with narratology, social science methodologies, and
film studies. Framed not only offers a unique study of law and film
but also points toward new directions in feminist thought. Shedding
light on central feminist themes such as victimization and agency,
multiculturalism, and postmodernism, Kamir outlines a feminist
cinematic legal critique, a perspective from which to evaluate the
"cinematic legalism" that indoctrinates and disciplines audiences
around the world. Bringing an original perspective to feminist
analysis, she demonstrates that the distinction between honor and
dignity has crucial implications for how societies construct women,
their social status, and their legal rights. In Framed, she
outlines a dignity-oriented, honor-sensitive feminist approach to
law and film.
This cutting-edge edited collection brings together 17 scholarly
essays on two of cinema and television's most enduring and powerful
themes: law and crime. With contributions by many of the most
prominent scholars in law, sociology, criminology, and film,
Framing Law and Crime offers a critical survey of a variety of
genres and media, integrating descriptions of technique with
critical analysis, and incorporating historical and socio-political
critique. The first set of essays brings together accounts of the
history of the Law and Cinema Movement; the groundbreaking genre of
"post-apocalyptic fiction;" and the policy-setting genesis of a
Canadian documentary. The second section of the book turns to the
examination of a range of international or global films, with an
eye to assessing the strengths, frailties, and possible functions
of law, as depicted in fictional cinema. After an international
focus in the second section, the third section focuses on law and
crime in American film and television, inclusive of both fictional
and documentary modes of narration. This section's expansion beyond
film narratives to include television series attempts to broaden
the scope of the edited collection, in terms of media discussed; it
is also a nod to how the big screen, although still a dominant
force in American popular culture, now has to compete, to some
extent, with the small screen, for influence over the collective
American popular cultural imaginary. The fourth section, titled
brings together various chapters that attempt to instantiate how a
"Gothic Criminology" could be useful, as an interpretative
framework in analyzing depictions of law and crime in film and
television. The fifth and final section covers issues of pedagogy,
epistemology, and ethics in relation to moving images of law and
crime. Merging wide-ranging analyses with nuanced scholarly
interpretations, Framing Law and Crime examines key concepts and
showcases original research reflecting the latest interdisciplinary
trends in the scholarship of the moving image. It addresses, not
only scholars, but also fans, and will heighten the appreciation of
connoisseurs and newcomers to these topics alike.
This cutting-edge edited collection brings together 17 scholarly
essays on two of cinema and television's most enduring and powerful
themes: law and crime. With contributions by many of the most
prominent scholars in law, sociology, criminology, and film,
Framing Law and Crime offers a critical survey of a variety of
genres and media, integrating descriptions of technique with
critical analysis, and incorporating historical and socio-political
critique. The first set of essays brings together accounts of the
history of the Law and Cinema Movement; the groundbreaking genre of
"post-apocalyptic fiction;" and the policy-setting genesis of a
Canadian documentary. The second section of the book turns to the
examination of a range of international or global films, with an
eye to assessing the strengths, frailties, and possible functions
of law, as depicted in fictional cinema. After an international
focus in the second section, the third section focuses on law and
crime in American film and television, inclusive of both fictional
and documentary modes of narration. This section's expansion beyond
film narratives to include television series attempts to broaden
the scope of the edited collection, in terms of media discussed; it
is also a nod to how the big screen, although still a dominant
force in American popular culture, now has to compete, to some
extent, with the small screen, for influence over the collective
American popular cultural imaginary. The fourth section, titled
brings together various chapters that attempt to instantiate how a
"Gothic Criminology" could be useful, as an interpretative
framework in analyzing depictions of law and crime in film and
television. The fifth and final section covers issues of pedagogy,
epistemology, and ethics in relation to moving images of law and
crime. Merging wide-ranging analyses with nuanced scholarly
interpretations, Framing Law and Crime examines key concepts and
showcases original research reflecting the latest interdisciplinary
trends in the scholarship of the moving image. It addresses, not
only scholars, but also fans, and will heighten the appreciation of
connoisseurs and newcomers to these topics alike.
"Every Breath You Take" traces the evolution of notions of stalking
and stalkers from ancient mythology through medieval folklore and
nineteenth-century literature to contemporary film and social
science. Critically analyzing stories of stalking within a wide
range of historical and cultural discourses, the book suggests that
such stories serve social functions, enforcing traditional gender
roles within the patriarchal social order. It reveals how stories
of stalking have facilitated moral panics that have fueled the
persecution of "stalkers" as social deviants. It argues that a
contemporary "stalking moral panic" led to America's anti-stalking
laws, laws that actually address mythological images and
stereotypes and are therefore inadequate in their treatment of the
actual social phenomenon of stalking. It concludes by suggesting an
alternative legal treatment of stalking, one that relies on an
informed, critical reading of both moral panics and culture.
The study shows how Lilith--Jewish mythology's Queen of Demons--as
Western culture's archetypal female stalker, eventually inspired
the construction of the images of the medieval witch and
nineteenth-century prostitute. Similarly, the vampire--our
culture's archetypal male stalker--can be seen in Frankenstein's
creature, in Mr. Hyde, and in Dracula, as well as in more
contemporary images of male stalkers (such as Robert DeNiro's taxi
driver and "Halloween"'s Michael). Orit Kamir posits that in the
twentieth century, film was the major force in developing images of
male and female stalkers, leading to a moral panic that resulted in
the 1980s anti-stalking laws. Careful reading of these laws reveals
that they address cultural images of archetypal stalkers rather
than the actual social phenomenon of stalking, which involves
ordinary men and women, not mythological monsters.
The book is unusual in its combination of cultural studies with a
sociological perspective and legal analysis. It argues that legal
analysis can be greatly informed by close, critical textual reading
of both relevant stories and social phenomena. It will be of keen
interest to those in critical legal studies as well as scholars in
film, literature, and folklore.
Orit Kamir is Professor of Law, Hebrew University in
Jerusalem.
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