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How to Create Monsters? A preliminary examination approach to the role of the social environment in relation to the origin of South African serial killers
The phenomenon of serial killers is a fascinating topic for readers, as well as for researchers. This dissertation is going to expand the steadily growing stock of literature regarding the origin of serial killers, but with a focus on the social environment. As the social environment differs from co...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Department of Public Law
2022
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| _version_ | 1867613271400382464 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Wehner, Jana |
| author2 | Phelps, Kelly |
| author_browse | Phelps, Kelly Wehner, Jana |
| author_facet | Phelps, Kelly Wehner, Jana |
| author_sort | Wehner, Jana |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | The phenomenon of serial killers is a fascinating topic for readers, as well as for researchers. This dissertation is going to expand the steadily growing stock of literature regarding the origin of serial killers, but with a focus on the social environment. As the social environment differs from country to country, depending on cultures, history, societies, and economic circumstances, it is important to take a South African perspective when studying the social environment of individuals in South Africa. After explaining the different approaches to define the term `serial killer´, this paper provides a solid review of previous research on the origin of serial homicide in South Africa. While presenting the most popular theories on the origin and development of serial killers in South Africa, it becomes evident that the social environment has never been considered to be a factor that might play a role. This paper criticises the fact that an examination of the social environment of serial killers has been absent in previous research on the development of serial killers. Consequently, it makes it its task to examine the social environment of South African serial killers via multiple case studies. Six South African serial killer cases are presented and the social environment of the individuals is explained. Moreover, similarities between the cases and other conspicuities are pieced together and analysed, followed by a discussion on how they might have an impact on a serial killer. Additionally, the paper gives some food for thought on why the social environment in South African townships is so fertile for serial killers to offend and what cultural and historical circumstances might play a role in developing such an environment. Providing incentives for further in-depth research here and there, this research expands the steadily growing body of literature on serial killers from a South African perspective. The paper concludes that the social environment of serial killers is a huge and interesting subject area, with many possible influencing factors that are therefore worth exploring further. Additionally, this paper proposes that the social environment should be taken into account when researching serial killers in general, and especially their origin and development. This paper takes the initiative to research the social environment as an independent factor within the phenomenon of serial killers. It proposes a preliminary examination approach to the role of the social environment in relation to the origin of South African serial killers for the purpose of drawing attention to the importance of including it when researching serial killers to generate a better understanding of the origin of serial killers and the phenomenon in general. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/36231 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:33:28.738Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publishDateRange | 2022 |
| publishDateSort | 2022 |
| publisher | Department of Public Law |
| publisherStr | Department of Public Law |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/36231 How to Create Monsters? A preliminary examination approach to the role of the social environment in relation to the origin of South African serial killers Wehner, Jana Phelps, Kelly Criminology, Law & Society The phenomenon of serial killers is a fascinating topic for readers, as well as for researchers. This dissertation is going to expand the steadily growing stock of literature regarding the origin of serial killers, but with a focus on the social environment. As the social environment differs from country to country, depending on cultures, history, societies, and economic circumstances, it is important to take a South African perspective when studying the social environment of individuals in South Africa. After explaining the different approaches to define the term `serial killer´, this paper provides a solid review of previous research on the origin of serial homicide in South Africa. While presenting the most popular theories on the origin and development of serial killers in South Africa, it becomes evident that the social environment has never been considered to be a factor that might play a role. This paper criticises the fact that an examination of the social environment of serial killers has been absent in previous research on the development of serial killers. Consequently, it makes it its task to examine the social environment of South African serial killers via multiple case studies. Six South African serial killer cases are presented and the social environment of the individuals is explained. Moreover, similarities between the cases and other conspicuities are pieced together and analysed, followed by a discussion on how they might have an impact on a serial killer. Additionally, the paper gives some food for thought on why the social environment in South African townships is so fertile for serial killers to offend and what cultural and historical circumstances might play a role in developing such an environment. Providing incentives for further in-depth research here and there, this research expands the steadily growing body of literature on serial killers from a South African perspective. The paper concludes that the social environment of serial killers is a huge and interesting subject area, with many possible influencing factors that are therefore worth exploring further. Additionally, this paper proposes that the social environment should be taken into account when researching serial killers in general, and especially their origin and development. This paper takes the initiative to research the social environment as an independent factor within the phenomenon of serial killers. It proposes a preliminary examination approach to the role of the social environment in relation to the origin of South African serial killers for the purpose of drawing attention to the importance of including it when researching serial killers to generate a better understanding of the origin of serial killers and the phenomenon in general. 2022-03-30T09:47:18Z 2022-03-30T09:47:18Z 2021 2022-03-22T13:09:03Z Master Thesis Masters LLM http://hdl.handle.net/11427/36231 eng application/pdf Department of Public Law Faculty of Law |
| spellingShingle | Criminology, Law & Society Wehner, Jana How to Create Monsters? A preliminary examination approach to the role of the social environment in relation to the origin of South African serial killers |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | How to Create Monsters? A preliminary examination approach to the role of the social environment in relation to the origin of South African serial killers |
| title_full | How to Create Monsters? A preliminary examination approach to the role of the social environment in relation to the origin of South African serial killers |
| title_fullStr | How to Create Monsters? A preliminary examination approach to the role of the social environment in relation to the origin of South African serial killers |
| title_full_unstemmed | How to Create Monsters? A preliminary examination approach to the role of the social environment in relation to the origin of South African serial killers |
| title_short | How to Create Monsters? A preliminary examination approach to the role of the social environment in relation to the origin of South African serial killers |
| title_sort | how to create monsters a preliminary examination approach to the role of the social environment in relation to the origin of south african serial killers |
| topic | Criminology, Law & Society |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/36231 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wehnerjana howtocreatemonstersapreliminaryexaminationapproachtotheroleofthesocialenvironmentinrelationtotheoriginofsouthafricanserialkillers |