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Selected Works of Bill Yousman
Article
Inside Oz: Hyperviolence, race and class nightmares, and the engrossing spectacle of terror
Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies (2009)
  • Bill Yousman, Sacred Heart University
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Abstract

In this essay I analyze the HBO prison drama Oz as a cultural artifact of the current era of rampant incarceration. I argue that Oz's hyperviolent spectacle legitimizes both the expansion of the prison–industrial complex and the continuing prevalence of inhumane prison environments. I also contend that Oz's framing of race and class within a violent spectacle functions as a justification of discriminatory criminal justice practices.

Keywords
  • Hyperviolence,
  • Spectacle,
  • Prison–Industrial Complex,
  • Representations of Incarceration,
  • Race/Class Nexus
Disciplines
Publication Date
2009
Citation Information
Bill Yousman. "Inside Oz: Hyperviolence, race and class nightmares, and the engrossing spectacle of terror" Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies Vol. 6 Iss. 3 (2009)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/bill_yousman/4/