How Does Law And Order SVU Portray Women?

How Does Law And Order SVU Portray Women? Contents 1. Introduction This study examines the representation of women on Television which is one of the most litigious topics surrounding the medium and is strongly dissected in this day and age. I will be conducting my research specifically on portrayal of women in Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. The examination should reveal whether the depiction of female characters on Law and Order is positive or negative. 1.1 Women On TV Joseph (2004) argues that women were underrepresented on network dramatic shows in 1950s to the 1970s and when they did appear, they were frequently seen in token or stereotyped roles. Although representation of women have changed greatly in the last two decades as we are progressing into a more contemporary society, the question is, has it really changed modern representations of women or it merely replicates gender stereotypes (Dobash et al. 1998). In recent years, Xena Warrior Princess and Buffy The Vampire Slayer pioneered the strong leading female characters in fantasy genre. Magoulick (2006) elucidates the positive reviews of Xena and Buffy demonstrate the extent to which these women characters resonate with female viewers longing for strong role models, or even just strong female roles on television. However, these characters were based in fantasy and science fiction genre. Still, programmes like Cagney and Lacey, Cats Eyes and Juliet Bravo paved the way for future strong fema le characters which were popular police/detective dramas depicting strong women. 1.2 Law Order: Special Victims Unit Currently in its 13th season, Law and Order: SVU first aired in 1999. The detectives on the team solve sexually motivated crimes and child abuse cases, which includes an exceptionally strong female lead character Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and other popular female characters such as Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish), Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cabot (Stephanie March) and Assistant District Attorney Casey Novak (Diane Neal). Law Order: Special Victims Unit offers a unique blend of characteristics placed within a masculine detective genre with strong main female lead along with a male partner, Detective Elliot Stabler portrayed by Christopher Meloni. The episodes often feature real life crime stories and create episodes based on crime stories ripped from the headlines (Green 2009, pp.2). Law Order: Special Victims Unit is one of the most successful and popular spin off series of Law and Order franchise which has won many awards as well as the 2006 Emmy for Outstanding L ead Actress in a Drama Series for Mariska Hargitay (Emmys, 2006) who describes female audiences reaction to her character Olivia Benson in Greens book Law Order: Special Victims Unit: The Unofficial Companion: As the show got more popular, I received so many emails from so many survivors. They were identifying so much with my character, identifying with this lion, this strong powerful (Olivia Benson). And then I had thirteen-years-old going, I want to be you; you are my role model. Hundreds of emails going, I want to be a cop when I grow up. And I thought this character has touched something deep in so many women and provided a safe place to goà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I felt I had a responsibility. (Green 2009, pp. 90) 1.3 Relevance Of The Research Women representation on television has significant value to female audiences because they view strong characters as role models. Singh, Vinnicombe and James (2006) studied career-minded women who keenly draw on role models from different aspects of like, television being one of them. They discovered that women used female characters from Television as role models such as Buffy, Alias and Xena: The Warrior Princesss. Analysing this aspect of female characters on Law Order: Special Victims Unit will provide me with the tools to examine the codes used in the portrayal of women. Research has been conducted on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit in the past i.e ethnic minorities, victimization of women. For example Britto (2007, p40) has deconstructed that portrayal of women are overplayed on crime drama series as offenders and victims with the help of content analysis in her article Does Special Mean Young, White and Female? Deconstructing the Meaning of Special in Law Order: Special Victims Unit. Furthermore, there has been extensive research on representation of ethnic minorities, male and female on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. However, my research will focus on the female characters such as Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay), Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish), Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cabot (Stephanie March) and Assistant District Attorney Casey Novak (Diane Neal) and deconstruct the codes employed to characterize them. 2. Literature Review Theoretical framework will direct my research in a focus manner whilst facilitating a proficient and comprehensive analysis. It will provide a major foundation for my investigation. As representation of women is such a diverse topic, I will focus and limit my research with the help of theoretical framework to achieve an accurate conclusion. 2.1 Representation Of Women On TV In order to build my research, the history of women representation would greatly aid in my investigation. Consequently, DAccis (1994) meticulous exploration of Cagney and Lacey, which aired from 1981 to 1988 and widely recognized as an innovative treatment of working women would provide the perfect groundwork for the investigation. While researching this book, DAcci had unprecedented access to the set, to production meetings, and to the complete production files, including correspondence from network executives, publicity firms, and thousands of viewers. In this book she examines the development of women characters and the representation of feminism on prime-time television. This would provide me thorough knowledge of what goes behind making a drama series with female lead characters and will equip me with the right tools to compare the representation of female characters on Law and Order:SVU. Furthermore, it contains other example from the history of American television which would be beneficial for my research. Brunsdon, Charlotte and Spigels (2007) book Feminist Television Criticism: A Reader provides a detailed examination extending across television, media and screen studies which looks into representation of feminism as historical categories and political identities. This book gives a valuable analysis of women working behind the camera and in-front of the camera as well as female audience and their response to television in their daily lives. I would be able to evaluate the depiction of women on Law Order: SVU in regards to historical and political viewpoint. The representation of females on the television screen has been a subject of much discussion since the television became commercially available in the late 1930s. In 21st Century, even though television produces programs like Pan Am, Charlies angels, The Playboy Club with female lead characters, they are still viewed through a very patriarchal ideology (Ingham, 2007). Dominicks (1979) article The portrayal of women in prime time, 1953-1977 concludes that female characters appearing on prime-time television from 1953-1977 were underrepresented on television and were frequently seen in stereotyped roles. This article will help me setting the groundwork for my research as I can put female characters on Law and Order: SVU side by side with previous characters. Further research (Elasmar, Kazumi and Brain, 2009) showed that women were more likely to be shown playing minor roles and playing characters of housewives and involved in a romantic relationship. I would need to further explore the depth of women representation on television which will allow me to conduct adept research. Gills (2007) work on Gender and Media looks like an interesting book for my research which explores the contradictory character of contemporary gender representations. Gender and the Media is also concerned with the theoretical tools available for analyzing representations. A range of approaches from semiotics to postcolonial theory are discussed, and Gill asks how useful notions such as objectification, backlash, and positive images are for making sense of gender in todays Western media which relates to my current study. Melanie (2011) cross-examines the construction of feminism and femininity in cinema and television from a wide variety of female centric programs such as chick flicks, reality shows and drama. This book will provide me with the understanding of the relationship between feminism, femininity, and visual culture and tools to analyze images of female representation in media. 2.1.1. Narrative Writing The Woman In order to relate characters and peak interest of the audience, formulation of the character through narrative is of uttermost importance. The character and narrative in the text have an emotional connection and resonate with the reader if they identify with the character. Hence, analysis of female representation in Law and Order SVU through their characterization in the narrative would allow me to deconstruct the signs from the text. Furthermore, specific aesthetic and narrative strategies used by the producers to create characters also append to feminism and female representation (Geetha, 2007). Mulveys (1975) groundbreaking article Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema would greatly aid in exploring the relation of narrative structure in construction of female characters in Law and Order: SVU where she unravels the narrative and visual techniques in cinema and puts forward the male cinematic gaze that objectifies the female character, hence, turning her into a spectacle, to-be-loo ked-at-ness (1975, 19). Mulvey (2009) revisits her theory in Visual and Other Pleassure by applying her feminist theory to more contemporary work concerning film spectatorship. She also talks about young modern woman of the 1920s in terms of images and narratives employed in Hollywood and European films which will be relevant to assess portrayal of women in Law and Order: SVU. In regards to narrative and women representation in media, Teresa de Lauretiss (1984) work would facilitate my research in the right direction as she investigates the structural representations of woman in cinema. De Lauretis (1984) disagrees with Mulveys (1975) theory of women representation as being permanently subjective and affirms that it is in a consistent stage of self-progression. De Lauretis believes that narrative structure draws upon the characters aspiration in social and cultural context and reproduces subjectivity. De Lauretis argues that female characters are formulated to incline towards femininity and conventionally portrayed as ideal image perceived by men (1984, 143). De Lauretiss conclusion of womens oppression by employing techniques of cinematic narration would provide a diverse perspective in representation of women in Law and Order: SVU. 2.2 Women Crime Genre The characteristics of gender have been reallocated in modern era in crime dramas where the female and male personalities are synthesized. The transformation also saw the shift of feminine traits of emotions, compassion and bond between traditionally masculine traits of heroism, vigor, and power giving rise to alternative action hero (Feasey 2008, p. 67). In 1970s and 1980s, crime genre progressively began depicting women in significant characters embarking on TV revolution. Snauffers (2006) book called Crime Television would aid in my research tremendously as it would be idyllic to find out the history of crime genre as it was dominated by men (Maureen 1988, p. 2). Since the beginning of television, crime dramas have been a prime genre of TV. According to Snauffer (2006), crime television has proven to be a fascinating reflection of changes and developments in the culture at large. In the 50s and early 60s, the square-jawed, just-the-facts detectives of The Untouchables and The FBI put police work in the best light possible. As the 60s gave way to the 70s, however, the depictions gained more subtle shading, and The Streets of San Francisco, The Rockford Files, and Baretta offered conflicted heroes in more complex worlds. This trend has of course continued in more recent decades, with Steven Bochcos dramas seeking a new realism through frank depictions of language and sexuality on television. In chronicling these developments and illustrating how the genre has reflected our ideas of crime and crime solving through the decades, author Douglas Snauffer here provides essential reading for any fan. This work provides a comprehensive history of detective and police shows on television which will contribute to my research immensely. Turnbull (2013) in her book The Crime Drama: TV Genres provides a historical study of the crime drama series as a genre which presents a number of case studies to clarify major concerns in the course of the genre. This book will facilitat e my argument as it looks at female led crime drama series from around the world such as The Wire and The Killing. Crime dramas generally feature subject matter related to public sphere with male dominance, however, the addition of female characters into crime genre has enabled to pursue a dynamic approach concerning gender bending transgressions, domestic issues and other feminist concerns (Feasey 2008). Nevertheless, women werent always depicted as strong willed and independent on TV. Cavender (1999) examines the depiction of women crime victims by comparing episodes from reality crime program. He analyzed that women talked about their victimization; however, men spoke more often and presented master narratives about the crimes. In both seasons, the program imagery emphasized feminine vulnerability to violence from strange, devious, and brutal men and masculine technical expertise and authority as womens protection from such violence. His analysis would be helpful in further studying the crime genre as well as involvement of women. Humphries (2009) examines women, violence, and media presentati ons through the lens of feminist criminology. This book contains chapters on Gendering Constructions which lays the foundation for the volume and examines media presentation of gendered violence, female killers on Law and Order and women in media. This book will give me tools to analyze the media text meticulously. In crime genre, male protagonist used to focus on solving the crime neglecting the public concerns during the process. Though, attitudes started to change when women were portrayed unconventionally as brave, independent and intelligent characters breaking away from the societal norm resulting in shaping a new feminist archetype (Aisenberg, 1994). In her book Ordinary heroines: Transforming the male myth Aisenberg (1994, p. 240) believes that female representation has progressed into equal active crime-solving characters with slight borrowing from conventional masculine traits such as Dana Scullys (Gillian Anderson) character in The X Files who was a powerful and independent professional woman even though FBI agent roles were profoundly male-dominated. Cuklanz and Moorti (2009) examine a wide variety of text to delve into the representations of gendered violence against women and formulation of gender. They believe that Law and Order SVU featuring lead female characters engage in stereotypical representation of women showcasing violence against them including inherent misogynist communiquà ©. Cavender and Jurik (2012) inspect the optimistic side of representation of women on TV as they analyse Prime Suspect starring Helen Mirren as policewoman Jane Tennison in popular British drama series where her character disrupts the conventions of the traditionally male genre (p.65). They focus on the portrayal of gender and law enforcement in the show featuring modern social tribulations where women play the central character. On one hand, Prime Suspect has become a cult hit for being an exceptionally feminist show in a traditionally male dominated crime genre. On the other hand, it is still not devoid of gender politics where Tennisons char acter shown as a successful woman is pigeonholed into an old lonely and friendless career woman. Cavender and Jurik (2012) work will provide the framework to deconstruct the meanings and connotation in depiction of women in Law and Order: SVU in relations to social norm. There has been a dramatic rise in representation of women detective in modern text whether be film or television which used to be dominated by men (Mizejewski, 2004). Whilst examining Jodie Fosters character Clarice on The Silence Of The Lambs, Mizejewski believes that traditional Hollywood cinema has been unconsciously organized along these lines: men looking and taking action, women being looked at. The conventions of framing, lighting and editing in portrayal of women all play to these dynamics (p. 7). Tasker (2007) believes women representation has progressed tremendously in recent years with transformed and empowered gender egalitarianism; however, there is still substandard issue. Gender is a key constructor and differentiator of character in ensemble workplace dramas (Allen 2007, p 48). The meticulous examination of Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) in Reading CSI by Michael Allen, a popular crime drama including the relationship of characters to their narratives and response of fans would provide great depth and widespread view which I can apply to Law and Order: SVU during my research. 1.3 Female Heroine Gunter (1986) argues that women are represented in a stereotypical manner associating with the characters traits they typically exhibit. In comparison with men, their characters were subjugated by personal relationships and family issues. However, this began to change in the 1970s when women were portrayed in more dynamic roles. Knight (2010) believes that it wouldnt have been possible without Sigourney Weavers character Ellen Ripley in Alien (1979) franchises which has become an avant-garde symbol. Ellen Ripley signified the first final girl archetype, a term coined by Carol J. Clover in the book Men, Women and Chansaw: Gender in the Modern Horror Film (1992), who conquered and triumphed against an evil villain without any help or rescue from a man (p.98). Knight (2010) and Clover (1992) examinations of women representation would aid in decoding the signs in Law and Order:SVU. Anthony (2009) believes that the progression in women portrayal on television and films was because women h ad taken over the market and were able to acquire positions as Producers and Directors. Consequently, women were portrayed in more heroic roles which cancelled out the notion of women as victims, resulting in a positive ideological advance (p. 80). Innesss (2004) Action Chicks is a groundbreaking collection of essays providing a new look at female action icons such as Xena, Buffy, Lara Croft and so on. These essays take a look at how recent depictions of women in action films, TV shows, comic books, and video games reflect a changing acceptance of women in traditionally male heroic or tough-guy roles. This highly specialized and scholarly study is suitable for my research and would enable me to view Law and Order: SVU in different light. In order to analyze the representation of women in Law and Order: SVU, I will construe if the women embody four essential constructing features which are body, attitude, action and authority in a tough hero (Innes, 1998). Brown (1996) has the same belief of women portrayed as action heroes stating, female action heroines body is represented by using same codes as a male hero in regards to object and subject in action films (p. 56). Goodwill (2011) agrees with Browns statement that new female ac tion hero possesses positive masculine characteristic which were preserved for men only, breaking away from orthodox feminine attributes. With the fusion of traits, earlier archetype of the hero has been amended in popular culture containing both masculine and feminine traits which will enable me to interpret female traits presented in Law and Order: SVU. Hill (1999, p 38) states, action heroines are the new type of protagonists in action genre who are smarter and tougher than conventional female heroines and even their male counterparts. This new breed of action heroines contravenes not only cinematic but cultural gender codes of women being submissive and tangential characters and transform traditional cinematic depiction of women. Noble (1999) produces an innovative framework to create new epitome of heroism for women in her book The Sound of a Silver Horn: Reclaiming the Heroism in Contemporary Womens Lives. She puts forward certain qualities that a female hero should possess to transform her and the world such as strong-minded, valiant and a risk-taker. Harriss (2004) groundbreaking work would provide a framework for my research where she looks at intricate representation of girls in recent history. Siehlohrs (2000) anthology investigates generic codes used in gender in regards to national identity in European films. She also exa mines how representations of women are effected by particular national milieu. This provides a baseline to investigate influences of societal factors on representation of women in Law and Order: SVU. Hanson (2007) proposes alternative ways of viewing classic and contemporary Hollywood heroines and the associations of gender with genre. She investigates representation of women as investigator and heroine in the variable context of the film industry which will enable me to apply the same approach to my research. She confers meticulous attention to the production of narrative, actions and perception as well as negotiation of feminine self and desires across the past. Jaceys (2010) book about The Woman in the Story: Writing Memorable Female Characters would be of significant value on this topic. She states that by creating a heroine, the screenwriter has to consider all kinds of differences, from character development to gender issues in the development process. This would allow me dig deeper into the depiction of female characters on Law and Order: SVU such as Olivia Bensons character as a Detective and Alexandra Cabot character as a District Attorney. According to Knight (2010), female action heroes extensively influence individuals in society and also reveal a lot about our society. Her analysis on female action here would help me understand Olivia Bensons character on Law and Order: SVU as she is seen as a role model and a super heroine to a lot of women. Furthermore, I will examine Buffy which was a very popular show with very sharp and provocative commentaries on gender. In Undead TV, media studies scholars tackle the Buffy phenomenon and its many afterlives in popular culture, the television industry, the Internet, and academic criticism (Levine and Parks, 2007). Stuller (2010) illustrates the triumph of female hero in contemporary mythology which has cracked through male dominated environment and divulges into the crucial role of female crime fighters in popular culture. METHODOLOGY: Litosseliti (2002) book on Gender, Identity and Discourse Analysis will provide me with the tools to employ discourse analysis to the media text for my research. I will conduct a discourse analysis on Law and Order: SVU to find out why Olivia Benson is considered a positive role model. Benson has been taken up as a feminist icon by artists and bloggers because shes the type of person who triumphs over adversity, stands up against injustice, and never blinks when shes staring down a bad guy. Furthermore, it will aid me in examining other female characters re-presented as victims and criminals. Research has shown that violence against women is a serious public health and human rights concern (World Health Organization 2000) and that the concurrent presentation of women as sex objects and victims in various forms of media increases acceptance of violence against women (Malamuth, 1996). As television has the widest audience of any medium (Gunter Wober, 1992), it is of uttermost importan ce to have an improved representation of women on television. I will draw primarily upon the discourse analysis of Law and Order: SVU to examine the meanings behind the representations of women as victims to more positive and hopeful depictions. Marion (2008) argues that the contemporary portrayals of women within popular culture are shaped by two major trends: the mainstreaming of pornography and its resultant hypersexualization of women and girls, and the commodification of those images for a global market. Wood (2000) book will provide both the practical steps for doing discourse analysis and the theoretical justifications for those steps. This book shows students how the social world revolves around talk and text. This book will aid in my research a great deal as it presents actual examples, covers data collection methods and strategies for data analysis, and addresses issues of reliability and validity. Tolsons (2006) book Media Talk: Spoken Discourse on TV and Radio investigates distinctive forms of mediated speech on TV and radio through discourse analysis. Media Talk is the first book to provide a comprehensive review of this important work. Lorenzo-Duss (2008) Television Discourse examines the specific forms and structures of talk across media genres. This book will provide me an in-depth knowledge of the discourse analysis on TV as it examines four defining characteristics of the current broadcast landscape: Storytelling, Closeness, Conflict and Persuasion. This would allow me to analyse the characters on Law and Order: SVU and find out if they are portrayed positively or negatively. Even though the women on LO: SVU are tough and strong, there are still some problematic issues in their representation. They are re-presented as victims or offenders in a lot of episodes. For example, Detective Olivia Benson is frequently victimized throughout the show, including her being stalked in Seasons 1 and 3, and more recently she is sexually assaulted while undercover in a prison. Furthermore, there were several suggestions in episodes on how the female detective pays a lot of attention to her appearance. An in-depth research would allow a more precise and comprehensive investigation on the topic. References [You may optionally use Bibliography or Works Cited] Cavender, Gray , 1999. The Construction Of Gender In Reality Crime Tv. Journal Of Broadcasting Electronic Media , Volume 13, Issue 5, 643-663. Dobash, R. E., Dobash, R. (1998). Rethinking Violence Against Women. Thousand Oaks, Calif, Sage Publications. Dominick, Joseph R. , 2004. The Portrayal Of Women In Prime Time, 1953-1977. Sex Roles, Volume 5, Number 4, 405-411. DAcci, Julie, 1994. Defining Women: Television and the Case of Cagney and Lacey. Edition. University of North Carolina Press. DAcci, Julie, Brunsdon, Charlotte and Spigel, Lynn , 2007. Feminist Television Criticism: A Reader. Edition. Open University Press. Douglas M. Snauffer, 2006. Crime Television (The Praeger Television Collection). Edition. Praeger. Elasmar, Michael, Hasegawa, Kazumi and Brain, Mary. 2009. The portrayal of women in U.S. prime time television. Journal of Broadcasting Electronic Media , Volume 43, Issue 1 Gill, Rosalind Clair, 2007. Gender and the Media. 1 Edition. Polity. Gunter, Barrie And Wober, Mallory 1992. The Reactive Viewer: Review Of Research On Audience Reaction Measurement (Independent Television Commission Research Monograph.). Edition. University Of Luton Press. Humphries, Drew. 2009. Women, Violence, and the Media: Readings in Feminist Criminology (Northeastern Series on Gender, Crime, and Law). Edition. Northeastern. Ingham, H. (2007, December 18) The Portrayal of Women on Television. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Students/hzi9401.html. [Accessed 18 March 2012]. Inness, Sherrie A. 2004. Action Chicks: New Images of Tough Women in Popular Culture. First Edition Edition. Palgrave Macmillan. Jacey, Helen 2010. The Woman in the Story: Writing Memorable Female Characters. Edition. Michael Wiese Productions. Knight, Gladys L. 2010. Female Action Heroes: A Guide to Women in Comics, Video Games, Film, and Television. Edition. Greenwood Levine, Elana and Parks, Lisa. 2007. Undead TV: Essays on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. 1st Edition. Duke University Press Lorenzo-Dus, Nuria. 2008. Television Discourse: Analysing Language in the Media. 1 Edition. Palgrave Macmillan. Litosseliti, Lia 2002. Gender Identity and Discourse Analysis (Discourse Approaches to Politics, Society, and Culture, 2). Edition. John Benjamins Pub Co. Magoulick, Mary, 2006. Frustrating Female Heroism: Mixed Messages In Xena, Nikita, And Buffy. The Journal Of Popular Culture, Vol. 39, No. 5, 734. Malamuth, N. (1996). Sexually Explicit Media, Gender Differences And Evolutionary Theory. Journal Of Communication, 46 (3), 8-31. Meyers, Marian 2008. Women In Popular Culture: Representation And Meaning (Political Communication). Edition. Hampton Pr. Tolson, Andrew. 2006. Media Talk: Spoken Discourse on TV and Radio. Edition. Edinburgh University Press. Wood, Linda A. 2000. Doing Discourse Analysis: Methods for Studying Action in Talk and Text. 1 Edition. Sage Publications, Inc Britto, Sarah, 2007. Does Special Mean Young, White and Female? Deconstructing the Meaning of Special in Law Order: Special Victims Unit. Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture, 14 (1), 40. Val Singh, Susan Vinnicombe, Kim James, (2006) Constructing a professional identity: how young female managers use role models, Women In Management Review, Vol. 21 Iss: 1, pp.67 81 Brunsdon, Charlotte and Spigel, Lynn 2007. Feminist Television Criticism. 2 Edition. Open University Press. Green, Susan 2009. Law Order: Special Victims Unit: The Unofficial Companion. Edition. BenBella Books. Pp. 90 Emmy. 2006. Mariska Hargitay. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.emmys.com/celebrities/mariska-hargitay. [Accessed 10 March 13]. Melanie, Dr Waters, 2011. Women on Screen: Feminism and Femininity in Visual Culture. Edition. Palgrave Macmillan. Janet McCabe, 2005. Feminist Film Studies: Writing the Woman into Cinema (Short Cuts). Edition. Wallflower Press. Laura Mulvey, 2009. Visual and Other Pleasures (Language, Discourse, Society). 2nd Edition. Palgrave Macmillan. Barthes, Roland. S/Z: An Essay. Trans. Richard Miller. New York: Hill and Wang, 1974. Ramanathan, Geetha 2007. Feminist Auteurs: Reading Womens Films. Edition. Wallflower Press. Mulvey, Laura, Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema (1975),Visual And Other Pleasures. London: Macmillan, 1989: 14-26. Laura Mulvey, 2009. Visual and Other Pleasures (Language, Discourse, Society). 2nd Edition. Palgrave Macmillan. Lauretis, Teresa de (1984) Alice Doesnt. Feminism. Semiotics. Cinema. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, Sue Turnbull, 2013. The Crime Drama (TV Genres). Edition. Edinburgh University Press. Allen, Michael 2007. Reading CSI: Crime TV Under the Microscope (Reading Contemporary Television). Edition. I. B. Tauris. Reddy, Maureen (1988). Sisters In Crime: Feminism and Crime Novel. New York: Continumm. pp Linda Mizejewski, 2004. Hardboiled and High Heeled: The Woman Detective in Popular Culture. 1St Edition Edition. Routledge. Cavender, G., Jurik, N. (2007). Scene Composition

Reasons Why the Holocaust Didn’t Happen

Briel BrownFeindert ENGWR 48027 September 2016 Critique of â€Å"50 Reasons Why the Holocaust Didn't Happen†In the forum post titled â€Å"50 Reasons Why the Holocaust Didn't Happen,† the author, only identified as Ted, puts forth a list of reasons that individuals who are already convinced that the Holocaust is a myth can use to persuade others. It is found on a forum called The CODOH Revisionist Forum, a website that lends itself specifically as a safe space for Holocaust revisionists. The post begins with a few sentences of introduction, briefly mentioning why it can be hard for many to give his point of view a chance. He goes on to criticize the media, comparing them to the church during the dark ages in the way that they can withhold information, with random and slightly irrelevant statements sprinkled throughout. He concludes the preface with the statement â€Å"No proof has even been given that 6 million were murdered,† and proceeds to go more in depth. The rest of the article is arranged in a numbered list format. The reasons are listed unsystematically, each one being followed by explanations of varying length. Many of his reasons focus on criticizing the media for refusing to allow Holocaust revisionists to have a voice. Others try to prove the Holocaust either scientifically or fiscally impossible. He makes many statements that attempt to paint witnesses and historians as liars, and goes as far as to accuse many of having an agenda that would benefit from the falsification of an atrocity such as the Holocaust. The article is void of a concluding paragraph, instead ending on a proof numbered 50, consisting of three unrelated and vague statements that offer nothing but confusion. Brown 2The posting as a whole is a vague and disorganized mess. Failure to proofread is obvious; there is no clear form of organization, it is riddled with spelling and grammatical errors, and irrelevant ramblings are left in the middle of what could have been a strong statement. The author manages to include a few decent rhetorical questions that can cause a feeling of doubt to arise in the reader, but the evidence included is rarely tacked on to these. When evidence is used it is often either false, from an unknown source lacking in credibility, or merely quoted and left unexplained. The author's argument is presented in an unorganized and visually cluttered manner. Contradictory to the title reason five is skipped, reducing the list to only forty-nine author specified reasons. The evidence is often listed in a fashion that betrays the numbering, with a shift in focus occurring multiple times within one section. For example, instead of expanding on the statement, â€Å"Reinhold Elstner burnt himself alive in protest against the holocaust lies,† that begins the concluding reason, we see an illogical shift in discussion topic to â€Å"German farmers are told to shut up if they find bones and try to arrange their burial† (Reason 50). Many pieces of evidence appear on screen as if the formatting was ruined in a copy-paste mishap with unnecessary jumps to new lines appearing prior to the end of the quote. While not terrible, it can be slightly confusing for the reader when it appears that a new paragraph has been started, only to see that the quote continues on. This author makes similar mistakes when it comes to expanding upon his case, again including unnecessary jumps in spacing when simply starting a new sentence would be sufficient. Vague statements, â€Å"Germans highly civilised and more so than the Brits and Yanks etc.,† (Reason 40) fragments, â€Å"Obliteration propaganda.,† (Reason 32) and run on sentences and comma splices â€Å"People can't understand how so many eyewitnesses can lie, they have seen the television programmes,† (Reason 2) litter the posting. In addition, the Brown 3author occasionally goes on racist tirades that add little to his argument and can deter readers who may come looking for an unbiased argument. For example, â€Å"Are Jewish lives worth more or something? And if we are westerners why should we give a damn? Are we too gentle to survive in a harsh world?† (Reason 20). The above coupled with the frequent spelling errors further add to the confusion that could be experienced by the reader, making it look more like a set of notes meant to be understood only by the author than an article intended for consumption. It even contains conventional errors in the title, with the failure to capitalize any word in it and the lack of an apostrophe for the word â€Å"didn't.† While the posting is filled with links and quotations, often they are either unreliable, false, or left without explanation. While it is rather easy for a reader to look up a name that is mentioned, attempting to establish credibility for sources within the piece could add weight to what one pulls from a source. Writings from individuals such as David Irving, a revisionist author, are linked without even formally identifying him in. Some quotes are even from individuals identified in ways as vaguely as â€Å"one guy on the BBC,† (Reason 6) and â€Å"From a letter from the British ministry of information,† (Reason 10). In the author's attempt to criticize the media, he claims that they have made repeated efforts to silence those critical of the Holocaust; however, not one specific example is listed. In his attempts to criticize accounts given at the Nuremberg trials, he claims that â€Å"It takes about 5 minutes of reading the Nuremberg documents to realise that the Holocaust is a hoax,† (Reason 8) but again, gives not one clear example. He continues to claim â€Å"Violation of Occam's razor, again and again,† (Reason 12) an extremely vague statement that is expanded upon only by asking the reader to examine the counterargument of a book. The author could have very easily added weight to his argument by citing at least one example, but he neglected to do so.Brown 4Due to the lack of concrete evidence used in the author's attempts at making logical appeals, the strength of this posting is rooted in the author's ability to manipulate the reader's emotions. In quoting a 1958 text from Tel Aviv, â€Å"If some know-it-all tries to expose you, the others will not listen to him and will condemn him, because by exposing you he is proving them guilty of stupidity, and the crowd will not forgive this,† (Reason 2) the author provides a statement that can make the readers feel somewhat guilty for their refusal to question what they have been taught. Decent use of figurative language is employed to describe the media with the metaphor â€Å"The carrot and stick are there to make people obey† (Reason 26), which again can pull on people's fear that they have overlooked something. His plays on fear and guilt do begin to get somewhat excessive at times, as his deliberate use of language becomes offensive. In using phrases such as â€Å"politically retarded,† (Reason 16) â€Å"The parallels with religious arguments should make intelligent people suspicious,† (Reason 34) and â€Å"Only an idiot would believe in stories such as lampshades of human skin,† (Reason 40) to describe those who disagree with him, the author may invoke an insecurity in some readers that can cause them to give his viewpoint a second chance. Just as easily, however, it can cause readers to disregard the writings due to the offense that they may take. The author's attempt to create a list of reasons that would help a fellow revisionist argue their case mostly for naught. While like-minded individuals can pull some rhetorical questions to get others thinking, there is little offered in way of credible argument material. It is organized in an unpleasant and confusing fashion that makes the posting almost unreadable. The grammatical errors and failure to proofread suggest an apathy, or perhaps an intellectual incompetence, from the author that does not help his case. Individuals who are willing to look can surely find something to aid them in whatever they sought the posting for, but for a casual reader not Brown 5desperate for argument material, the posting is comically inarticulate and slightly frightening when the sincerity behind the writing is considered. Words: 1375Brown 6Work CitedTed. â€Å"50 Reasons Why the Holocaust Didnt Happen.† The CODOH Revisionist Forum, 25 Aug. _____2004, https://forum.codoh.com/viewtopic.php?t

Analysis Of Paley And Aquinas - 1823 Words

Analysis of â€Å"Paley† and â€Å"Aquinas† Readings in Topic 4 Introduction In the argument, â€Å"The Argument From Design† from Natural Theology, William Paley argues that living things are like watches in one crucial respect: both exhibit design, the universe with everything in it. Paley thinks that people assume that the universe works for a purpose like the watch does. So, people would reasonably conclude that the universe has a designer or creator, like the watch does, God. Although, atheists deny that the universe is designed. But, shouldn’t there be some knowledgeable or intelligent creator to guide us towards our purpose to function in life? In the article, â€Å"The Five Ways,† from Summa Theologica, Thomas Aquinas argues whether God exists, which†¦show more content†¦Summary William Paley found a watch on the ground and assumed that the watch was put together for a purpose. His arguments, then, lead towards the teleological argument, which starts from relatively specific observations to the crucial notion of purpose where there is an intelligent cause to the universe. Paley’s whole argument discusses how there must be a maker of the universe since there is a maker of the watch, which must be God. In contrast, a telescope has a designer, so an eye must also have a designer, â€Å"The end is the same; the means are the same. The purpose in both is alike; the contrivance for accomplishing that purpose is both alike: The lenses of the telescope, and the humours of the eye bear a complete resemblance to one another, in their figure their position; and in their power over the rays of light†¦ How is it possible, under circumstances of such close affinity, and under the operation of equal evidence, to exclude contrivance from one, yet to acknowledge the proof of contrivance having been employed, as the plainest and clearest of all propositions in the other?...† (Paley, p.30). If the watch could somehow reproduce, Paley still would not question that the watch still had originated from some intelligent designer. Like the watch, he thinks the universe also works for a purpose. Paley proscribes design as foresight, which is connected with purpose, however, the purpose is not the same as the function. It is said to beShow MoreRelatedPersuasive Essay : Paley s Argument From Design1217 Words   |  5 Pages PH 101-01 Instructor: Jason Smith Student: Donna Delva 6/16/17 Critically evaluate Paley’s argument from design. What kind of argument is it? How does it work? What does it aim to show? Does Paley succeed? Why or Why not? While theology may take God s existence as necessary on the basis of faith, or discovery, many philosophers have thought it’s possible to prove by reason that there must be a God. The teleological argument, also known as the argument from design simplyRead MoreEssay about A Philoshpical Approach to Proving the Existence of God4013 Words   |  17 Pagesissues that relate to the divine. Now there are two types of theology, Revealed and Natural Theology. Revealed Theology claims that our knowledge of God comes through special revelations such as the Bible, the Holy Spirit, and the Koran. Saint Thomas Aquinas indicates that Revealed Theology provides what he calls â€Å"Saving Knowledge†, which is knowledge that will result in our salvation. Now Natural Theology is our knowledge of God that one ascertains through natural reasoning, or reasoning that is unaidedRead MoreThe Existence of God Essay730 Words   |  3 Pagessurprisingly very many arguments which support the existence of God. They even have proper names to go by, and most Christians believe in one of these arguments. I have listed them in the first introduction paragraph, but I will now begin my analysis of each one. Moral and Divine Command Theory ================================= This argument is stating that universal moral standards obviously exist in our World already and are evidently needed for the proper functioning

Freud Essay - 1234 Words

In The Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx and Frederick Engels present their view of human nature and the effect that the economic system and economic factors have on it. Marx and Engels discuss human nature in the context of the economic factors which they see as driving history. Freud, in Civilization and Its Discontents, explores human nature through his psychological view of the human mind. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Marx states that history quot;...is the history of class strugglesquot; (9). Marx views history as being determined by economics, which for him is the source of class differences. History is described in The Communist Manifesto as a series of conflicts between oppressing classes and oppressed classes. According†¦show more content†¦He sees this socialist stage as necessary for but inevitably leading to the establishment of communism. Human beings, which are competitive under capitalism and other prior economic systems, will become cooperative under socialism and communism. Marx, in his view of human nature, sees economic factors as being the primary motivator for human thought and action. He asks the rhetorical question, quot;What else does the history of ideas prove, than that intellectual production changes its character in proportion as material production is changed?quot; (Marx 29). For Marx, the economic status of human beings determines their consciousness. Philosophy, religion and other cultural aspects are a reflection of economics and the dominant class which controls the economic system. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;This view of human nature as being primarily determined by economics may seem to be a base view of humanity. However, from Marxs point of view, the human condition reaches its full potential under communism. Under communism, the cycle of class conflict and oppression will end, because all members of society will have their basic material needs met, rather than most being exploited for their labor by a dominant class. In this sense the Marxian view of human nature can be seen as hopeful. Although human beings are motivated by economics, they will ultimately be able to establish a society which is not based on economicShow MoreRelatedFreud Vs Frankl And Freud1323 Words   |  6 PagesRunning Head: COMPARITIVE PERSONALITY THEORIES OF SIGMUND FREUD AND VIKTOR FRANKL Comparative Personality Theories of Sigmund Freud and Viktor Frankl Luke McGeeney William James College For my comparison, I’ll be looking at the theories of Sigmund Freud and Viktor Frankl, the creators of both the first and third Viennese Schools of Psychotherapy, respectively. To begin with, I’ll examine Frankl’s theory of existential analysis known as logotherapy. LogotherapyRead More Sigmund Freud1435 Words   |  6 PagesSigmund Scholmo Freud was born on May 6, 1865 in Freiburg, Moravia. Freud was orginally born Jewish but changed over to Atheism, later his Jewish past would come back to â€Å"haunt† him. An interesting (yet disturbing) fact is that Freuds mother, who was also his fathers second wife, was only a few years older than his two stepbrothers. Many people believe that this was a cause to why Freud to believe that the psychological issues are related back to sexual issues in childhood, since he had an psychologicalRead MoreAnna Freud1216 Words   |  5 PagesANNA FREUD Anna Freud Anna Freud Selecting a woman that made significant contributions to the field of psychology between the years 1850 and 1950 is not an easy task as there is more than one woman who made significant contributions to the field of Psychology. Out of those talented women Anna Freud, overshadows her colleagues. Anna can be considered to have a fascinating background, which influenced her later development of unique theoretical perspectives. Her father, Sigmund Freud famousRead More freud Essay617 Words   |  3 Pages Freud: The Idea of â€Å"Repression† In the â€Å"Second Lecture† of Sigmund Freud he uses the concept of â€Å"repression† and he gives the explanation of it as the origin of a lot of mental illness such as hysteria. Freud associates the symptom to a will conflict. He defines it as a perversion of the will because involuntarily an inhibited intention emerges. It is the premise of the dissociation. Freud explains the hysteria through the repression mechanism with a comparative study. First the subjectRead MoreSigmund Freud And Freud s Theory Of The Unconscious Mind Essay816 Words   |  4 PagesAnna O’s case with Sigmund Freud and Freud later perfected this â€Å"talking cure.† Also known as sweeping the chimney or sweeping the mind. Sigmund Freud’s theory of the unconscious mind claimed that people experience hysteria or other reactions in response to repressed experiences. â€Å"The unconscious contains all those drives, urges, or instincts that are beyond our awareness but that nevertheless motivate most of our words, feelings, and actions (Feist Feist, 2008).† Freud and his theory are responsibleRead MoreFreud And The Czech Republic1159 Words   |  5 PagesFreud was born in the Czech Republic on May 6th, 1856. At a young age his family moved to Vienna, in which, he spent most of his life there. He received his medical degree in 1881 from the University of Vienna and married in the following year. He had six children and his youngest, Anna Freud, had decided to become like her father. In which she continued and explored his work until her death in 1982. Freud had set up a private practice and treated people with a wide verity of psychological disordersRead MoreEssay on Sigmund Freud629 Words   |  3 PagesSigmund Freud Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis. Although, for the most part, his theories are not as accepted as he originally intended, his fundamental ideas are used often in terms of neo-Freudian theory. He constructed the idea of the unconscious, as well as the id, ego, and superego. Now, it is quite understandable, on a superficial level at least, why sex was the main topic which Freuds theory revolved. The time was one of sexual suppression, even to the degree of coveringRead MoreEssay on Sigmund Freud1398 Words   |  6 PagesSigmund Freud Sigmund Freud was born May 6, 1856. He was born in a small, predominantly Roman Catholic town called Freiburg, in Movaria- now known as Czechoslovakia. He was born the son of Jacob Freud, a Jewish wool merchant, and his third wife, Amalia.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jacob Freud and Amalia Nathanson were married in 1855. Freud was born of a singular and bizarre marriage. In contrast to his mother’s youth, twenty years of age, his father was middle-aged at forty years of age, and had two sons fromRead MoreFreuds Interpretation of Dreams1176 Words   |  5 Pagescontent, condensation and displacement, and censorship and repression. First, let examined the definition of dream according to Sigmund Freud â€Å"dream is the disguised fulfilment of a repressed wish. Dreams are constructed like a neurotic symptom: they are compromises between the demands of a repressed impulse and the resistance of a censoring force in the ego† (Freud, 28). This simple means that all dreams represent the fulfilment of a wish by the dreamer. Dreams are the mind way of keeping an individualRead MoreEssay on The Psychology of Freud1562 Words   |  7 PagesThe Psychology of Freud After Charles Darwin, Sigmund Freud (1836 – 1939) probably revolutionized Western thought more than any other thinker in the past century. His psychodynamic approach to psychology and the forces behind human motivations is best known for its focus on childhood sexuality and his picture of the mind. His research focused on case studies of individuals and their motivations first through hypnosis and later through a technique that he called â€Å"psychoanalysis† where he allowed