Date of Award
4-17-2023
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Sociology
First Advisor
Kyla Bender-Baird
Second Advisor
Jennifer Johnson
Third Advisor
Margaret Stevenson
Abstract
Serial killing is a widely popular topic that is understudied within sociology. To address this deficit, this paper explores the relationship between whiteness, masculinity, and social learning theory in reference to the crimes of serial killers. Two case studies and one counter-case study were chosen, with the subjects being two white, male serial killers John Wayne Gacy and Edmund Kemper, and one white, female serial killer, Aileen Wuornos, all of whom were active between 1960-1990. Through the application of “doing masculinity,” social learning theory, and white criminality, the analysis demonstrates the intersections of social position and impacts of social experiences within serial killing, specifically in how these facets are often seen reflected in their crimes.
Recommended Citation
Richart, Lilly, "On Social Positions and Social Influence: Society’s Impacts on White, Male Serial Killers" (2023). Honors Theses. 635.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/honorstheses/635
Rights Statement
All rights reserved. This copy is provided to the Kenyon Community solely for individual academic use. For any other use, please contact the copyright holder for permission.