Contradictory Representations of the Child Figure in the Media: JonBenét Ramsey Murder Case Retellings on YouTube
Even over 20 years after her death, JonBenét Ramsey remains the most recognizable child murder victim in recent American history, with her case being especially notorious for its sensational and elaborate media coverage. In this article, I take a look at an Internet community which—through the means...
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European Association for American Studies
2021-04-01
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| Series: | European Journal of American Studies |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/16778 |
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| author | Sylwia Gryciuk |
| author_facet | Sylwia Gryciuk |
| author_sort | Sylwia Gryciuk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Even over 20 years after her death, JonBenét Ramsey remains the most recognizable child murder victim in recent American history, with her case being especially notorious for its sensational and elaborate media coverage. In this article, I take a look at an Internet community which—through the means of YouTube remixes—attempts to oppose the narratives popularized in the mainstream media, using the Ramsey case to offer counter-representations of the concepts of family, childhood, and girlhood. I also attempt to show that the outcome of this online activism does not correspond fully with the intent, as the videos in question often come close to complicity with the narratives which their authors try to subvert. This observation adds credence to the claim that cultural representations of children and childhood in contemporary English-language discourse at large feature a seemingly irreconcilable combination of sentimental innocence and disquieting eroticism. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b9eb19ccb65e4dcdb22d4b5e52aca123 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1991-9336 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | European Association for American Studies |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of American Studies |
| spelling | doaj-art-b9eb19ccb65e4dcdb22d4b5e52aca1232025-01-06T09:08:35ZengEuropean Association for American StudiesEuropean Journal of American Studies1991-93362021-04-0116110.4000/ejas.16778Contradictory Representations of the Child Figure in the Media: JonBenét Ramsey Murder Case Retellings on YouTubeSylwia GryciukEven over 20 years after her death, JonBenét Ramsey remains the most recognizable child murder victim in recent American history, with her case being especially notorious for its sensational and elaborate media coverage. In this article, I take a look at an Internet community which—through the means of YouTube remixes—attempts to oppose the narratives popularized in the mainstream media, using the Ramsey case to offer counter-representations of the concepts of family, childhood, and girlhood. I also attempt to show that the outcome of this online activism does not correspond fully with the intent, as the videos in question often come close to complicity with the narratives which their authors try to subvert. This observation adds credence to the claim that cultural representations of children and childhood in contemporary English-language discourse at large feature a seemingly irreconcilable combination of sentimental innocence and disquieting eroticism.https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/16778social mediaremix videomemorial videoviddingYouTubeJonBenét Ramsey |
| spellingShingle | Sylwia Gryciuk Contradictory Representations of the Child Figure in the Media: JonBenét Ramsey Murder Case Retellings on YouTube European Journal of American Studies social media remix video memorial video vidding YouTube JonBenét Ramsey |
| title | Contradictory Representations of the Child Figure in the Media: JonBenét Ramsey Murder Case Retellings on YouTube |
| title_full | Contradictory Representations of the Child Figure in the Media: JonBenét Ramsey Murder Case Retellings on YouTube |
| title_fullStr | Contradictory Representations of the Child Figure in the Media: JonBenét Ramsey Murder Case Retellings on YouTube |
| title_full_unstemmed | Contradictory Representations of the Child Figure in the Media: JonBenét Ramsey Murder Case Retellings on YouTube |
| title_short | Contradictory Representations of the Child Figure in the Media: JonBenét Ramsey Murder Case Retellings on YouTube |
| title_sort | contradictory representations of the child figure in the media jonbenet ramsey murder case retellings on youtube |
| topic | social media remix video memorial video vidding YouTube JonBenét Ramsey |
| url | https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/16778 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sylwiagryciuk contradictoryrepresentationsofthechildfigureinthemediajonbenetramseymurdercaseretellingsonyoutube |