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The Wild West, the industrial East and the outlaw

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Parker, Martin. (2011) The Wild West, the industrial East and the outlaw. Culture and Organization, Vol.17 (No.4). pp. 347-365. ISSN 1475-9551

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14759551.2011.590311

Abstract

This paper argues that dominant academic understandings of the Wild West overstate the extent to which it can be understood as a pro-capitalist mythology. The paper begins with an account of the making of the mythic West, particularly in the second half of the nineteenth century. I then consider the cultural economics of this process, noting that, for most of the twentieth century, the Western was the dominant genre across whole swathes of cultural production. This is followed by a consideration of the place of the outlaw and related figures that appear to problematize the legitimacy of new forms of social order, particularly in relation to land and ownership. I conclude with some thoughts on what it might mean to propose an anti-modern and radical reading of the Western, and to connect the cowboy with other social bandits, such as the pirate and the Mafiosi.

Item Type:

Journal Article

Subjects:

F History United States, Canada, Latin America > F001 United States local history
H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions

Divisions:

Faculty of Social Sciences > Warwick Business School > Industrial Relations & Organisational Behaviour
Faculty of Social Sciences > Warwick Business School

Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):

West (U.S.) -- History -- To 1848, West (U.S.) -- History -- 1848-1860, West (U.S.) -- Economic conditions -- 18th century, West (U.S.) -- Economic conditions -- 19th century, Outlaws -- West (U.S.) -- History, Cowboys -- West (U.S.) -- History, Arts -- Economic aspects, Western films

Journal or Publication Title:

Culture and Organization

Publisher:

Routledge

ISSN:

1475-9551

Official Date:

September 2011

Dates:

Date	Event
September 2011	Published

Volume:

Vol.17

Number:

No.4

Page Range:

pp. 347-365

Identification Number:

10.1080/14759551.2011.590311

Status:

Peer Reviewed

Publication Status:

Published

Access rights to Published version:

Restricted or Subscription Access

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