The culture of crime: Examining representations of Irish Travelers in Traveller and The Riches

Kabachnik, Peter

Romani Studies (2009), 19, (1), 49–63.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3828/rs.2009.3
Language: English
Pages: 15

Abstract

Irish Travelers are frequently equated with crime. This culture-of-crime stereotype is reproduced through media culture. In this article I will analyze the 1997 film Traveller and the first season of the 2007 television series The Riches to see how the criminal stigma is repeatedly (re)ascribed to Irish Travelers. I identify two cultural discourses in Traveller. First, the "culture as practice" discourse grants admission to a cultural group based on what one does. Second, the "culture as nature" discourse views cultural belonging in a biologically deterministic fashion. These two discourses overlap, and Irish Traveler culture is still depicted as a culture of crime. The Riches reproduces this stereotype, as the only way Irish Travelers can lead a "normal" life is too steal a buffer's identity. Both of these examples lead to questioning whether invisibility or visibility solely as criminals is preferable.

FormatArticle

£25.00

READ THIS ARTICLE

If you have private access to this content, please log in with your username and password here

Acton, Thomas. 1974. Gypsy politics and social change: The development of ethnic ideology and pressure politics among British gypsies from Victorian reformism to Romany nationalism. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul. Gypsy politics and social change: The development of ethnic ideology and pressure politics among British gypsies from Victorian reformism to Romany nationalism Google Scholar

Google Scholar

Burke, Mary. 2007. US literature and popular culture and the Irish-American Traveller: A call for research. In: Hayes, Michael and Acton, Thomas, eds. Traveller, Gypsy, Roma: The demonisation of difference. Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. 30–6. US literature and popular culture and the Irish-American Traveller: A call for research Traveller, Gypsy, Roma: The demonisation of difference 30 6 Google Scholar

Google Scholar

Crowley, Una. 2005. Liberal rule through non-liberal means: The attempted settlement of Irish Travellers (1955–1975). Irish Geography 38 (2): 128–50. Liberal rule through non-liberal means: The attempted settlement of Irish Travellers (1955–1975) Irish Geography 38 128 50 Google Scholar

Google Scholar

Drummond, Anthony. 2006. Cultural denigration: Media representation of Irish Travellers as criminal. In: Hayes, Michael and Acton, Thomas eds. Counterhegemony and the postcolonial "other". Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Press. 75–85. Cultural denigration: Media representation of Irish Travellers as criminal Counterhegemony and the postcolonial "other" 75 85 Google Scholar

Fanning, Bryan. 2002. Racism and social change in the Republic of Ireland. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Racism and social change in the Republic of Ireland Google Scholar

Fanon, Franz. 1967. Black skin, white masks. New York: Grove Press. Black skin, white masks Google Scholar

Gilbert, Matthew. 2007. Stealing the American dream is a family affair. Boston Globe. March 12. http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2007/03/12/stealing_the_american_dream_is_a_family_affair/ Google Scholar

Gray, Herman. 2004. Watching race: Television and the struggle for blackness. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. Watching race: Television and the struggle for blackness Google Scholar

Google Scholar

Hancock, Ian. 1999a. The Roma: Myth and reality. The Patrin Web Journal. http://www.geocities.com/Paris/5121/mythandreality.htm Google Scholar

Google Scholar

Haynes, Michael. 2006. Irish Travellers: Representations and realities. Dublin: The Liffey Press. Irish Travellers: Representations and realities Google Scholar

Helleiner, Jane. 2000. Irish Travellers: Racism and the politics of culture. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Irish Travellers: Racism and the politics of culture Google Scholar

Jenkins, Richard. 1997. Rethinking ethnicity: Arguments and explorations. London: Sage Publications. Rethinking ethnicity: Arguments and explorations Google Scholar

Kellner, Douglas. 1995. Media culture: Cultural studies, identity and politics between the modern and the postmodern. New York: Routledge. Media culture: Cultural studies, identity and politics between the modern and the postmodern Google Scholar

Kenrick, Donald. 2004. The Romani world: A historical dictionary of the Gypsies. Hertfordshire: University of Hertfordshire Press. The Romani world: A historical dictionary of the Gypsies Google Scholar

Lanters, José. 2005. "We are a different people": Life writing, representation, and the Travellers. New Hibernia Review 9 (2): 25–41. "We are a different people": Life writing, representation, and the Travellers New Hibernia Review 9 25 41 Google Scholar

Larson, Stephanie Greco. 2005. Media and Minorities: The politics of race in news and entertainment. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Inc. Media and Minorities: The politics of race in news and entertainment Google Scholar

Lucassen, Leo, Willems, Wim and Cottaar, Annemarie eds. 1998. Gypsies and other itinerant groups: A socio-historical approach. New York: St. Martin's Press. Gypsies and other itinerant groups: A socio-historical approach Google Scholar

MacDonald, Fred. 1992. Blacks and white TV: African Americans in television since 1948. New York: Wadsworth Publishing. Blacks and white TV: African Americans in television since 1948 Google Scholar

McIlvain, Judd. 2002. Trouble shooter: Consumer tips. September 23. troubleshooterjudd. com. http://www.troubleshooterjudd.com/consumer/consumer_irish_scammers.html Google Scholar

McShan, Jeff. 2007. Irish Traveler gets life sentence. KHOU.com. April 4. http://www.khou.com/news/local/crime/stories/khou070403_tj_homescamman.2dd7fd89.html Google Scholar

McVeigh, Robbie. 2008. The "final solution": Reformism, ethnicity denial and the politics of anti-Travellerism in Ireland. Social Policy and Society 7 (1): 91–102. The "final solution": Reformism, ethnicity denial and the politics of anti-Travellerism in Ireland Social Policy and Society 7 91 102 Google Scholar

Google Scholar

Monk-Turner, Elizabeth, Martinez, Homer, Holbrook, Jason, and Harvey, Nathan. 2007. Are reality TV crime shows continuing to perpetuate crime myths? The Internet Journal of Criminology. 1–15. http://www.internetjournalofcriminology.com/Monk-Turner%20et%20al%20-%20Reality%20TV%20Crime%20Shows.pdf Google Scholar

Morris, Rachel. 2000. Gypsies, Travellers and the media: Press regulation and racism in the UK. Communications Law 5: 213–19. Gypsies, Travellers and the media: Press regulation and racism in the UK Communications Law 5 213 19 Google Scholar

Google Scholar

NAACP. 2008. Out of Focus, Out of Sync—Take 4: A Report on the Television Industry" Baltimore: National Association for Colored Peoples. http://www.naacp.org/news/press/2008–12-18/NAACP_OFOS_Take4.pdf Google Scholar

Google Scholar

Salisbury Post. 2008. Men con elderly homeowner in Irish Traveler scam. SalisburyPost. com. 21 Oct. http://www.salisburypost.com/Area/102108-Irish-Traveler-Scam-onelderly Google Scholar

Sibley, David. 1995. Geographies of exclusion: Society and difference in the West. London: Routledge. Geographies of exclusion: Society and difference in the West Google Scholar

Vanderbeck, Robert M. 2003. Youth, racism and place in the Tony Martin affair. Antipode 35(2): 363–84. Youth, racism and place in the Tony Martin affair Antipode 35 363 84 Google Scholar

WLKY.com. Crime prevention strategies—"Irish Travelers". http://www.wlky.com/crimetracking/8651563/detail.html Google Scholar

ZAP2it.com. 2007. FX cashes strong "Riches" ratings. March 14. http://www.zap2it.com/tv/news/zap-therichesratings,0,967194.story Google Scholar

If you have private access to this content, please log in with your username and password here

Details

Author details

Kabachnik, Peter

Search in Google Scholar

Romani Studies