Inside Oz: Hyperviolence,Race and Class Nightmares,and the Engrossing Spectacle of Terror |
| |
Authors: | Bill Yousman |
| |
Institution: | 1. yousmanw@ccsu.edu |
| |
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 |
|
|