Blogging Behind Bars

How Prison Blogs Revived Prison Literature in the United States

Bachelor Thesis , 2010 , 33 Pages , Grade: 1,3

American Studies - Literature

Blogs have become a fast growing and influential medium of high cultural and social importance. Different kinds of texts are spread throughout the internet and become accessible for all cultural and ethnic groups.

Since most blogs feature a comment section discussion about meaning becomes possible. As a result, readers are able to communicate directly with the author and discuss the content with him or
her as well as among each other.

One social group in particular that is getting more and more involved with this new medium are inmates in the United States. As they begin to explore and use blogging for expressing thoughts and ideas, it becomes increasingly evident that this is clearly not an invention of the digital age but rather a literary tradition that is revived and continued by blogging inmates.

In my thesis, I will show how these prison blogs have revived prison literature by “techno-social” means (Raffl, Hofkirchner, Fuchs, Schafranek The Web as Techno-Social System: The Emergence of Web 3.0) that allow a direct exchange between reader and author.
I will also show how certain themes of prison literature are taken up by prison blogs and, at the same time, transferred or adapted to this digital medium by doing close readings and literary analyses.

In the end, I will have substantiated my claim by pointing out parallels in themes and approaches as well as mechanisms of influence and social interaction that all together made for a cross-media revival of prison literature.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• Prison Literature
  • 1960s - 1980s
  • Social Interaction
  • Themes and Patterns
    • Reminiscence, Trauma and Identity
    • Reading, Writing and Identity
• Prison Blogs
  • Techno-social Character
    • Expectations
    • Q&A
  • Process and Immediacy
    • The Act of Writing
    • The Perception of Time

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis examines the revival of prison literature in the United States through the lens of prison blogs. It explores how the "techno-social" nature of blogging, which enables direct interaction between reader and author, has facilitated this revival. The thesis analyzes how prison blogs engage with traditional themes of prison literature and adapt them to the digital medium.

• The role of blogging as a "techno-social" medium in reviving prison literature
• The themes and patterns of prison literature as reflected in prison blogs
• The adaptation of traditional prison literature themes to the digital format
• The mechanisms of influence and social interaction within prison blogs
• The parallels between prison literature and prison blogs in terms of themes and approaches

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The introduction establishes the context for the thesis by discussing the evolving nature of literature and the limitations of traditional media in fostering dialogue between author and audience. It introduces the concept of blogs as a potential medium for bridging this gap and reviving prison literature.

The chapter on prison literature provides a historical overview of the genre, focusing on its development from the 1960s to the 1980s. It examines the social interaction inherent in prison literature and explores key themes such as reminiscence, trauma, identity, and the role of reading and writing in shaping identity.

The chapter on prison blogs delves into the "techno-social" character of this medium, exploring how it facilitates direct communication between readers and inmates. It examines the expectations and dynamics of Q&A sessions within prison blogs and analyzes the immediacy and impact of the writing process on the perception of time.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

Prison literature, prison blogs, techno-social systems, Web 2.0, direct communication, reader-author interaction, themes, reminiscence, trauma, identity, reading, writing, social interaction, influence, cross-media revival.

• College: University of Leipzig (Institut für Amerikanistik)
• Grade: 1,3
• Author: Sebastian Matkey (Author)
• Publication Year: 2010
• Pages: 33
• Catalog Number: V168030
• ISBN (eBook): 9783640849925
• ISBN (Book): 9783640850495
• Language: English
• Tags: Blogging, Blogs, American Studies, Prison Literature, Prison, Social Media, Gefängnisliteratur, Prison Blogs