This book examines the representation of penal colonies both
historically and in contemporary culture, across an array of media.
Exploring a range of geographies and historical instances of the penal
colony, it seeks to identify how the 'penal colony' as a widespread
phenomenon is as much 'imagined' and creatively instrumentalized as it
pertains to real sites and populations. It concentrates on the range of
'media' produced in and around penal colonies both during their
operation and following their closures. This approach emphasizes the
role of cross-disciplinary methods and approaches to examining the
history and legacy of convict transportation, prison islands and other
sites of exile. It develops a range of methodological tools for engaging
with cultures and representations of incarceration, detention and
transportation. The chapters draw on media discourse analysis, critical
cartography, museum and heritage studies, ethnography, architectural
history, visual culture including film and comics studies and gaming
studies. It aims to disrupt the idea of adopting linear histories or
isolated geographies in order to understand the impact and legacy of
penal colonies. The overall claim made by the collection is that
understanding the cultural production associated with this global
phenomenon is a necessary part of a wider examination of carceral
imaginaries or 'penal spectatorship' (Brown, 2009) past, present and
future. It brings together historiography, criminology, media and
cultural studies.
