American Mass Incarceration and Post-Network Quality Television: Captivating Aspirations

Television has played a significant role in producing and intervening in gruesome stories about American mass incarceration, such as OZ, The Wire, Orange Is the New Black, 13th, and Queen Sugar. Lee A. Flamand argues that we cannot understand these programs' willingness to integrate prison ethnography, urban sociology, identity politics activism, and Black feminist theory without understanding how they relate to the cultural aspirations and commercial goals of the TV industry and American storytelling practices.

Format: Hardback
Length: 312 pages
Publication date: 31 August 2022
Publisher: Amsterdam University Press

The prison is not just a physical structure made of bricks and mortar; it relies on gruesome stories circulated as commercial media to justify its institutional reproduction. In recent years, television has played a significant role in both producing and intervening in these stories. This interdisciplinary work presents a series of investigations into some of the most influential and innovative treatments of American mass incarceration to hit our screens in recent decades.

Looking beyond celebratory accolades, Lee A. Flamand argues that we cannot understand the eagerness of influential programs such as "Oz," "The Wire," "Orange Is the New Black," "13th," and "Queen Sugar" to integrate the sensibilities of prison ethnography, urban sociology, identity politics activism, and even Black feminist theory into their narrative structures without understanding how such critical postures relate to the cultural aspirations and commercial goals of a quickly evolving TV industry and the most deeply ingrained continuities of American storytelling practices.

Television has become a powerful medium for shaping public perception and understanding of issues related to crime, justice, and social inequality. These programs have the ability to reach a wide audience and have a significant impact on public opinion. However, Flamand argues that we need to be more critical of the ways in which television portrays and represents prison life.

One of the key themes in Flamand's work is the way in which television narratives often perpetuate stereotypes and biases about prisoners and their lives. He argues that these narratives can reinforce negative perceptions of prisoners and contribute to the stigmatization of those who are incarcerated. For example, Flamand points out that television programs often depict prisoners as violent and dangerous individuals who are unable to be rehabilitated. This portrayal can lead to public fear and hostility towards prisoners, which can make it difficult for them to reintegrate into society upon their release.

Another issue that Flamand explores is the way in which television narratives can contribute to the normalization of prison life. He argues that by presenting prison as a routine and normal part of life, television programs can desensitize viewers to the harsh realities of incarceration. This can make it easier for policymakers and society to overlook the need for reform and improvement in the criminal justice system.

Flamand also examines the ways in which television programs can intervene in the broader social and political discourse surrounding mass incarceration. He argues that these programs can play a role in raising awareness about the issues and challenges faced by those who are incarcerated and in advocating for reform. For example, Flamand points out that programs such as "Orange Is the New Black" have been used to highlight the disproportionate impact of mass incarceration on women and people of color.

In conclusion, Flamand's work is a critical examination of the ways in which television portrays and represents prison life. He argues that television narratives can perpetuate stereotypes and biases, contribute to the normalization of prison life, and intervene in the broader social and political discourse surrounding mass incarceration. By understanding the ways in which television shapes our perceptions of prison, we can work to create more accurate and nuanced representations of those who are incarcerated and to advocate for reform in the criminal justice system.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789463725057