Graduation Semester and Year
Spring 2024
Language
English
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in English
Department
English
First Advisor
Penelope Ingram
Second Advisor
Cedrick May
Third Advisor
Timothy Richardson
Abstract
In this dissertation, I assert that the rise of the internet and social media has exacerbated the ethical concerns already present in true crime media. This dissertation argues that true crime web sleuths operate as an effective public, shaping the true crime archive and the genre itself. The aim of this project is to explore the lack of borders between the role of consumers, content creators, web sleuths, and media outlets. Via communication, affect, and archival theory I propose that modern true crime is dependent upon consumers ability to easily slip into the role of producer and vice versa. In the dissertation, I offer analysis of recent events related to true crime as well as various podcast, documentaries, and books. Finally, I discuss how current issues such as political radicalization and AI are currently shaping the true crime landscape. I use these examples as a starting point for conversation on where true crime currently is and how the genre might develop in the future.
Keywords
True crime, prosumer, affect, Affective publics, archive
Disciplines
Other Film and Media Studies
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Compton, Alyssa T., "From Serial to Subreddit: An Analysis of Modern True Crime and Web Sleuths" (2024). English Dissertations. 1.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/english_dissertations/1