Vulnerability, agency and the ambivalence of place in narratives of rape in three high-profile Swedish cases
(2018) In NORA - Nordic Journal of Feminist and Gender Research 26(3). p.197-209- Abstract
- For decades, the media have frequently been instrumental in framing rape cases by linking the deed with the place. This study demonstrates that law courts are not innocent of such social framing; on the contrary, they are significant agents. We argue that courts, by shaping the plot in rape cases, participate in an ongoing cultural production of meaning, although in a more subtle and ambivalent way than the media. In a narrative analysis of three contemporary rape cases in Sweden, we bring together feminist research on place with the concepts of vulnerability and agency. We argue that place is framed as ambivalent in relation to vulnerability and agency and dependent on the positioning of the plaintiff and the defendant. In court... (More)
- For decades, the media have frequently been instrumental in framing rape cases by linking the deed with the place. This study demonstrates that law courts are not innocent of such social framing; on the contrary, they are significant agents. We argue that courts, by shaping the plot in rape cases, participate in an ongoing cultural production of meaning, although in a more subtle and ambivalent way than the media. In a narrative analysis of three contemporary rape cases in Sweden, we bring together feminist research on place with the concepts of vulnerability and agency. We argue that place is framed as ambivalent in relation to vulnerability and agency and dependent on the positioning of the plaintiff and the defendant. In court narratives geographical places are made relevant, including the locations where the alleged rapes took place. Court narratives of rape include highly ambivalent connotations to place in relation to vulnerability and agency, distinguished by different narratives and outcomes in the various instances. The legal and social implications of our work should include an awareness of the relevance of place in relation to rape. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/2d9ec1b0-97be-47e3-86cd-2cec16069001
- author
- Andersson, Ulrika LU and Edgren, Monika
- organization
- publishing date
- 2018-08-23
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Rape, Court narrative, Place, Vulnerability, Agency, Criminal law, Våldtäkt, Sårbarhet, Straffrätt
- in
- NORA - Nordic Journal of Feminist and Gender Research
- volume
- 26
- issue
- 3
- pages
- 197 - 209
- publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85052943599
- ISSN
- 0803-8740
- DOI
- 10.1080/08038740.2018.1472140
- project
- Rape in Sweden 1990-2013. Historical and intersectional perspectives on rape in different genres
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 2d9ec1b0-97be-47e3-86cd-2cec16069001
- date added to LUP
- 2018-06-18 19:00:04
- date last changed
- 2023-03-20 12:35:24
@article{2d9ec1b0-97be-47e3-86cd-2cec16069001, abstract = {{For decades, the media have frequently been instrumental in framing rape cases by linking the deed with the place. This study demonstrates that law courts are not innocent of such social framing; on the contrary, they are significant agents. We argue that courts, by shaping the plot in rape cases, participate in an ongoing cultural production of meaning, although in a more subtle and ambivalent way than the media. In a narrative analysis of three contemporary rape cases in Sweden, we bring together feminist research on place with the concepts of vulnerability and agency. We argue that place is framed as ambivalent in relation to vulnerability and agency and dependent on the positioning of the plaintiff and the defendant. In court narratives geographical places are made relevant, including the locations where the alleged rapes took place. Court narratives of rape include highly ambivalent connotations to place in relation to vulnerability and agency, distinguished by different narratives and outcomes in the various instances. The legal and social implications of our work should include an awareness of the relevance of place in relation to rape.}}, author = {{Andersson, Ulrika and Edgren, Monika}}, issn = {{0803-8740}}, keywords = {{Rape; Court narrative; Place; Vulnerability; Agency; Criminal law; Våldtäkt; Sårbarhet; Straffrätt}}, language = {{eng}}, month = {{08}}, number = {{3}}, pages = {{197--209}}, publisher = {{Taylor & Francis}}, series = {{NORA - Nordic Journal of Feminist and Gender Research}}, title = {{Vulnerability, agency and the ambivalence of place in narratives of rape in three high-profile Swedish cases}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08038740.2018.1472140}}, doi = {{10.1080/08038740.2018.1472140}}, volume = {{26}}, year = {{2018}}, }