Search

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the conceptualization of the predatory stalker came to the forefront of the criminal concerns imagined by the American public. With this growing public concern and the associated media coverage, legislation designed to enhance punishments against those who might stalk became a political asset and a significant plank for reelection campaigns. Adequate definition for the phenomena, however has yet to be established, and idiosyncratic application of the law at the policing level remains a problem. This study works toward providing a better definition of the problem from the public's perspective. Variables significant to the definition of the problem were identified and used in survey work to assess their importance in the individual's interpretation of the stalking label. Several of these variables are significantly tied to the individual's willingness to ascribe a stalking label to a given behavioral transaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We re-examine science fiction films of the 1950s (made during the cold war), and their remakes in the 1970s and 198t1s (made in the post-sixties, after Vietnam and Water- gate) in conjunction with stones told by social scientists during the same eras. In this light, we provide a subversive reading of social scientific data sets and science fiction films, and pay special attention to both versions of The Thing (1951, 1982) as relevant examples of cold war and post-sixties statements Social scientific and film productions of the 1950s correlate with optimistic public sentiments of the cold war era in regard to the abilities of the military. government, and medicine to solve social problems. The inure recent reproductions conjure images of a much more pessimistic view of institutions. We suggest by way of a conclusion that readings of social scientific products. science fiction films. and their remakes can inform social theories in general and postmodem social theories in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]