Execution Culture in Nineteenth Century Britain

From Public Spectacle to Hidden Ritual

Patrick Low editor Helen Rutherford editor Clare Sandford-Couch editor

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd

Published:30th Nov '20

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Execution Culture in Nineteenth Century Britain cover

This edited collection offers multi-disciplinary reflections and analysis on a variety of themes centred on nineteenth century executions in the UK, many specifically related to the fundamental change in capital punishment culture as the execution moved from the public arena to behind the prison wall. By examining a period of dramatic change in punishment practice, this collection of essays provides a fresh historical perspective on nineteenth century execution culture, with a focus on Scotland, Wales and the regions of England.

From Public Spectacle to Hidden Ritual has two parts. Part 1 addresses the criminal body and the witnessing of executions in the nineteenth century, including studies of the execution crowd and executioners’ memoirs, as well as reflections on the experience of narratives around capital punishment in museums in the present day. Part 2 explores the treatment of the execution experience in the print media, from the nineteenth and into the twentieth century.

The collection draws together contributions from the fields of Heritage and Museum Studies, History, Law, Legal History and Literary Studies, to shed new light on execution culture in nineteenth century Britain. This volume will be of interest to students and academics in the fields of criminology, heritage and museum studies, history, law, legal history, medical humanities and socio-legal studies.

'Execution Culture offers a series of intriguing case studies in the ways that an absence becomes present in a culture.'

- Michael Meranze,University of California, Los Angeles

ISBN: 9780367332457

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 560g

218 pages