The Societal Construction of a Criminal as Cultural Hero

The Case of “The Brinks Truck Theft”

Bibliographic Data

ID8932834
AuthorsGabriel Cavaglion (corresponding author)
Year2007
Volume118
Issue3
Pages245-260
Publication date2007-11-14
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueFolklore (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0015-587X • E-ISSN: 1469-8315
PublisherRoutledge (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00155870701621749
OpenAlexW2039295690
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited21

This study examines the identification with, and encouragement and admiration of, a celebrated thief among the Internet audience of a popular Israeli web site. A content analysis of audience responses highlights the carnival atmosphere that emerged in Israel as the story unfolded of the exploits, arrest and punishment of this new criminal folk hero, a “trickster” who toppled the social order. Astonishingly, the public mood, as manifest in the online message boards, is mostly supportive of the crime and its perpetrator, with very few condemnations. Acknowledgement The research for this paper was partially funded by Ashkelon Academic College, Israel

Art · Criminology · HERO · Literature · Sociology · Truck · Crime, Deviance, and Social Control · Digital Games and Media · Engineering · Gothic Literature and Media Analysis · History

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