Law and Justice in Song - Murder Ballads and Popular Music

This book examines the murder ballad form, songs about death and killing, from a legal history perspective. It is held that taking on the long history of the murder ballad is a way that we can understand how death and killing in song has a function in dealing with the world around us. The book integrates law and humanities scholarship with diverse musical case studies to construct a typology of murder ballads and thus conceptualise the central messages of how murder ballads have treated death and killing. Drawing on a cultural form in which assessment and consideration of death and killing are so vigorously and richly enacted gives lawyers a guide to how those who do not see these matters through a primarily legal lens might understand this part of their world. The study will be of interest to academics and researchers working in the areas of Criminal Law, Legal History, Socio-Legal Studies, Criminology and Musicology.

Sommario

1. Death, Killing and Murder Ballads; 2. Investigating Murder Ballads; 3. Morality; 4.Vehicles for Bigotry; Chapter 5. Means of Resisting Equality; 6.Tribute and Memorial; 7. Shock Value; 8. Gallows Humour; 9. Image Management; 10. Faith; 11. The Legacy of Criminality in Music

Info autore

Daniel Newman is Professor of Law at Cardiff University, UK.

Dettagli sul prodotto

• Autori: Daniel Newman, Newman Daniel
• Editore: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
• Lingue: Inglese
• Formato: Copertina rigida
• Pubblicazione: 16.02.2026
• EAN: 9781032964836
• ISBN: 978-1-0-3296483-6
• Pagine: 346
• Serie: Transforming Legal Histories
• Categorie: Scienze sociali, diritto, economia > Diritto > Diritto penale, diritto processuale penale, criminologia; Scienze umane, arte, musica > Musica > Tematiche generali, enciclopedie; Rock, History, Popular Culture, Rock & Pop music, LAW / Criminal Law / General, LAW / General, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Criminology, LAW / Legal History, Criminal law & procedure, MUSIC / Philosophy & Social Aspects, Legal History, Legal aspects of criminology, Pop Music, Popular Music, Social Law, Crime and criminology, Crime & criminology, Criminology: legal aspects, Criminal law: procedure and offences, Social law and Medical law