HIGH POINT, N.C., Aug. 24, 2011 – Dr. Julie B. Wiest, assistant professor of communication and sociology at High Point University, recently published an academic book that takes a closer look at a riveting subject: serial murder. The book, titled “Creating Cultural Monsters: Serial Murder in America,” examines connections between American culture and the incidence of serial murder with research and examples – including the likes of Jeffrey Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, BTK, the Night Stalker, and the Green River Killer.
Released in June, the book details the commonalities of most identified serial murderers and explains the reasons behind higher incidences of serial murder in the United States compared to other nations. Wiest also presents research in the book that has the potential to revolutionize how serial murder is understood, studied, investigated and brought to light.
“This book has been years in the making. Like many people, I have long been a fan of the true-crime genre, but my curiosity grew when I began studying media representations of serial murder for my master’s thesis almost 10 years ago,” Wiest explains. “Even then, what I consistently noticed was a lack of explanation for the horrific phenomenon, despite immense public attention.”
Wiest says she took on the task of explaining American serial murder during her doctoral program in sociology, and the resulting theory is presented in the book.
“I am very excited to share my research,” Wiest says. “I believe the theory will be useful – not just to researchers of serial murder, but to anyone who seeks to understand violence; extreme offending; and the intersections of gender, race, power and crime.”
The book is available on Amazon, as well as the publisher’s website, http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781439851548;jsessionid=XRqof9MBLfsGujdKkvsrvg.
Wiest earned a doctorate in sociology from the University of Tennessee and a master’s degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of Georgia. Wiest also has nearly a decade of experience in print and electronic journalism and published a book in 2006 titled “We Were There,” a compilation of the World War II narratives of 30 veterans.
At High Point University, every student receives an extraordinary education in an inspiring environment with caring people.℠ HPU, located in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina, is a liberal arts institution with over 4,200 undergraduate and graduate students from 51 countries and 46 states at campuses in High Point and Winston-Salem. It is ranked by US News and World Report at No. 3 among Regional Colleges in the South. Forbes.com ranks HPU in the top 7 percent among “America’s Best Colleges.” Parade Magazine lists HPU in the top 25 private schools in the nation. The university offers 50 undergraduate majors, 43 undergraduate minors and 14 graduate degree programs. It is accredited by the Commission of Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and is a member of the NCAA, Division I and the Big South Conference. Visit High Point University on the Web at highpoint.edu.
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Pam Haynes
Communication Specialist
336-841-9055
[email protected]