Bøker av Lois Presser

The power of storytelling in troubling times Violence, pain and punishment dominate portrayals of social problems but the reality is more complex. In the world of actual people and experience, other, more hopeful stories are told in relation to crime and harm: narratives of justice, cooperation, kindness, and redemption. Narrating Justice and Hope examines the rich potential for narratives to do good in the context of interpersonal harm and the devastating social conditions of the present moment-including climate crisis, political polarization, and interconnected systems of inequality. Featuring a stellar list of contributors from across the globe, this volume asks: How do people produce good stories in the context of these harms? What types of narratives will create lasting social change? What does it take to tell good stories? Each chapter examines subjects ranging from the success stories of formerly incarcerated people, women speaking out about sexual violence, and young climate activists. Throughout Narrating Justice and Hope, stories and storytelling thwart trouble, foster healing and connection, and envision better futures. The collection also grapples with critical issues including the nature of good, the performative nature of storytelling, and the hazards of exploiting subjugated people's stories. With chapters from a number of well-known scholars, this volume will be an important contribution for sociology, criminology, and legal scholars.

Stories have persuasive powers: they can influence how a person thinks and acts. Inside Story explores the capacity of stories to direct our thinking, heighten our emotions, and thereby motivate people to do harm to others and to tolerate harm done by others.From terrorist violence to ';mere' complacency with institutionalized harm, the book weds case study to cross-disciplinary theory. It builds upon timely work in the field of narrative criminology and provides a thorough analysis of how stories can promote or inhibit harmful action. By offering a sociological analysis of the emotional yet intersubjective experience of dangerous stories, the book fleshes out the perplexing mechanics of cultural influence on crime and other forms of harm.