Roundtable: The Real Housewives of Crime: “I Plead Guilty to Being Fabulous!”

Session Submission Type: Roundtable Session

Abstract/Description

Love to hate it? Hate to love it? Although the franchise is considered a guilty pleasure by many, The Real Housewives has permeated mainstream discourse on crime and “criminals.” As such, it offers key insights into all matters of criminological interest. In this roundtable, discussants examine the intersections of class, race, gender, and crime through the pop culture lens of Bravo’s groundbreaking reality television franchise, The Real Housewives. Discussants address: how The Housewives franchise constructs crime, criminals, and the criminal justice system; in what ways The Housewives shapes public discourse surrounding crime and criminality; and, how The Housewives is situated among broader theoretical and policy discussions on crime, media, and culture. Ultimately, discussants invite attendees to join us in exploring what reality TV and, more specifically, The Housewives, teaches us about crime, law, and justice.

Sub Unit

• Area XIV. Roundtables

Chairs

• Maya Pagni Barak, University of Michigan-Dearborn

• Clare Strange, Drexel University

Discussants

• Valerie Anderson, University of Missouri-St. Louis

• Kathleen Darcy, University of Michigan-Dearborn

• Nicole McKenna, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY

• Ebony Ruhland, Rutgers University - Newark