A new edited collection on true crime in 21st century media (in all its forms) invites proposals for chapters. The working title is Women and True Crime.
This new book seeks to present original scholarship and its aims are intentionally broad, but hopes to include explorations of women as investigators, activists, perpetrators or victims. For example, when women are producers of true crime media how does the female voice affect the content, structure, themes and consumption of true crime in today’s visual/audio media landscape?
The collection is not limited to traditional visual and audio media, but wishes include research in digital gaming, social media, all audiences and/or activism that intersects with media. I am also interested in contributions from criminology and law who may wish to discuss the role true crime has in their professional spheres.
It is intended that this collection will not be limited to US/European content. It will be a much stronger discussion if it can include discussions on the global production, reach and/or influences of such media. Therefore, proposals on such topics are welcomed.
A list of possible media:
- Documentary styles and aesthetics (including re-enactment, docudrama, podcast investigations)
- True Crime Literature (incl. fictionalized, graphic, educational, legal)
- Social media activism, or fan participation
- Digital gaming or the like
A list of possible structural approaches
- The social purpose of true crime
- Positive negative outcomes of true crime media
- Character creation and/or sensationalist narrative practices including:
- the presentation of law enforcement, prosecutors, defense teams and/or the legal system in general
- the presentation of crime victims and their families
- the presentations of race, gender and sexualities
- Transmedial and /or transglobal responses to true crime narratives
- Production practices and ethics
- Finance, marketing and/or distribution practices and experiences
The following is a guide to the variety of true crime content the book will consider:
- Legal Procedures (including police procedural, courtroom practices, appeals, probation services)
- Injustice Narratives (including false confessions, wrongful imprisonment as well as general criticisms of the American justice system)
- Organized Crime (history of the mafia, political corruption, gangster celebrities)
- Interviews with Convicts (including high profile cases, serial killers)
- Victims (including support and reconciliation programs)
- Unsolved crime (including missing persons, ongoing investigations)
- Crimes made sensational (including property violations, neighbor disputes, traffic stops)
This project is being developed for Routledge (approx. 12 chapters of 6-8,000 words each).
Please send a 300-400 word abstract of your proposed chapter and a 100-word author bio statement by April 30th 2025 to George S. Larke-Walsh at george.larke-walsh@sunderland.ac.uk
Tags: call for papers, CFP, crime, Edited collection, true-crime
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