Document Type

Thesis

Degree

Master of Fine Arts

Major

Philosophy

Date of Defense

4-27-2015

Graduate Advisor

Jill B. Delston

Committee

Delston, Jill

McGinnis, Jon

Wiland, Eric

Abstract

Drawing from feminist and critical race theorists’ analyses of pornography and racist speech, I advance an argument in favor of speech regulations vis-à-vis prison rape films. I call ‘prison rape films’ (PRFs) those films that depict prison rape humorously, as narrative springboards, or as unnecessary tangents. I explore why such films ought to be regulated by pointing out the harms these films have on prisoners. In doing so, I examine what it is to be a ‘historically oppressed group’ and what makes such groups particularly vulnerable to hate speech. Prisoners are a historically oppressed group that is harmed by prison rape films and, on this basis, deserve protection from such harm by way of regulation.

OCLC Number

925365446

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