The Western District Way: Reconsidering 'The Wire' in a Post-Freddie Gray America
Faculty Sponsor
Vikas Gumbhir, Gonzaga University
Research Project Abstract
On April 19, 2015, Freddie Carlos Gray, Jr., died from injuries sustained while in police custody. The following days saw protests, extensive media coverage, deployment of the National Guard, and filing of charges against six Baltimore police officers. This paper analyzes these events through the lens of the HBO series “The Wire”. Using Altheide’s (1987) ethnographic content analysis, I examine all five seasons of the show, paying special attention to scenes, characters, story arcs, and symbolism relevant to Gray’s death. I also employ a structured approach in analyzing media coverage of Gray’s death and subsequent events. In addition to studying reportage, I include editorial and critical pieces in popular print media. My preliminary analysis indicates that “The Wire” minimizes and simplifies the violence of policing in Baltimore. However, the show starkly reveals the dehumanization of young black males by the Baltimore police and the corruption of departmental disciplinary processes.
Session Number
RS6
Location
Robinson 141
Abstract Number
RS6-b
The Western District Way: Reconsidering 'The Wire' in a Post-Freddie Gray America
Robinson 141
On April 19, 2015, Freddie Carlos Gray, Jr., died from injuries sustained while in police custody. The following days saw protests, extensive media coverage, deployment of the National Guard, and filing of charges against six Baltimore police officers. This paper analyzes these events through the lens of the HBO series “The Wire”. Using Altheide’s (1987) ethnographic content analysis, I examine all five seasons of the show, paying special attention to scenes, characters, story arcs, and symbolism relevant to Gray’s death. I also employ a structured approach in analyzing media coverage of Gray’s death and subsequent events. In addition to studying reportage, I include editorial and critical pieces in popular print media. My preliminary analysis indicates that “The Wire” minimizes and simplifies the violence of policing in Baltimore. However, the show starkly reveals the dehumanization of young black males by the Baltimore police and the corruption of departmental disciplinary processes.
