Vigilante Justice in Society and Popular Culture

Peter Robson is professor of social welfare law at the University of Strathclyde. Ferdinando Spina is associate professor of Sociology of Law at the University of Salento.

A fascinating group of essays, from a number of countries in various parts of the world, on forms of vigilantism, broadly conceived: collective movements, as well as individual acts of revenge and private justice. The essays pay special attention to these themes in literature, movies, and TV. This work will be important, and illuminating, for a wide range of scholars of legal and social history; and in particular, for students of law and popular culture. --Lawrence M. Friedman, Marion Rice Kirkwood Professor of Law at Stanford Law School Is vigilantism a form of righteous revolution - an alternative "street justice"? Or is it violent revenge justified by claims of individual liberty that disregards the rule of law benefits for the most vulnerable? This collection explores these questions from a global perspective within popular culture. It decenters the hegemonic images of defiant U.S. vigilante heroes with gloriously diverse representations of "justice vigilantism" in a world still devoted to democracy and due process but struggling with an epidemic of democracy deficits and a lost confidence in law to deliver justice. The collection includes some canonical scholars as well as rising stars. It is a gift to the law and humanities community. --Jessica Silbey, Professor of Law and Yanakakis Faculty Research Scholar, Boston University School of Law The boundaries of law often stretch beyond the ordered courtroom into the frenetic turbulence of the streets. The fury of the mob that seeks to frame the narrative of popular justice through reactivity and direct action represents law as untamed and enlivened; yet in these often feral moments, law emerges as rabidly foaming from the mouth, thus perpetuating an antagonistic juxtaposition between legitimacy and terror. This collection of vigilante scholarship, drawing upon examples from Europe, South America, and the Anglosphere, makes a valuable contribution to the study of how law really works and challenges assumptions of what law is and/or should be. --Sarah Marusek, Associate Professor and Chair of the Political Science Department at the University of Hawai'i Hilo Vigilante justice is a disturbing reminder of the limits of law and the fault lines of social order. This unique and altogether fascinating collection explores how vigilantism is portrayed in popular culture around the world and the lessons these representations contain for understanding law and society. --David Garland, Arthur T. Vanderbilt Professor of Law and Professor of Sociology at New York University Vigilante justice is the stuff of legends and lies at the heart of popular culture by creating heroes and heroines who challenge what they see as injustice in the existing order. Where it tends to fall flat is when the vigilantes' individual visions of justice differ and conflict with the broader goals of law. In this informative and insightful "must read" collection, Peter Robson and Ferdinando Spina bring together a cadre of international authors who carefully explain the different perspectives of vigilantism from their own cultural perspectives. --David S. Wall, Professor of Criminology at the Centre for Criminal Justice Studies in the School of Law, University of Leeds, UK