Rhea Heath - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Address: Edinburgh, Edinburgh, City of, United Kingdom

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Stalking is a phenomenon at the nexus of popular culture and criminal justice. Stalking did not e... more Stalking is a phenomenon at the nexus of popular culture and criminal justice. Stalking did not exist as a crime until 1990, and in the span of less than a decade, at least four countries, and all 50 U.S. States, passed legislation criminalizing such conduct. This enormous mobilization of political and criminal justice resources was spurred on significantly by the media constructions of stalking as a public risk. These constructions capitalized on the societal fascination with celebrity, crime, and the victimization of women. The various roles the media played in constructing mythic images of stalking are contrasted with the scientific research on stalking. The discrepancies between these discourses illustrate means and motives through which the media, society, and public institutions distort popular images of empirical phenomena.

Stalking is a phenomenon at the nexus of popular culture and criminal justice. Stalking did not e... more Stalking is a phenomenon at the nexus of popular culture and criminal justice. Stalking did not exist as a crime until 1990, and in the span of less than a decade, at least four countries, and all 50 U.S. States, passed legislation criminalizing such conduct. This enormous mobilization of political and criminal justice resources was spurred on significantly by the media constructions of stalking as a public risk. These constructions capitalized on the societal fascination with celebrity, crime, and the victimization of women. The various roles the media played in constructing mythic images of stalking are contrasted with the scientific research on stalking. The discrepancies between these discourses illustrate means and motives through which the media, society, and public institutions distort popular images of empirical phenomena.

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