Molls, Madams, and Masterminds: Challenging Perceptions of Women in Organised Crime in Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Century USA.

This thesis examines perceptions of women in organised crime which emerged during the post-civil war period through to the early twentieth century. The political atmosphere of the United States had an unparalleled impact on organised crime discourse. Though women were a major part of political and societal developments, perceptions of women in organised crime are often simplified and they have experienced significant levels of exclusion from organised crime narrative. Through its investigation into perceptions of women in organised crime during this period, this thesis demonstrates how those perceptions have solidified into contemporary thinking about organised crime. Consequently, crime discourse still focuses on gendered differences in crime which cannot be fully supported. This thesis aims to challenge what is passively accepted about women in organised crime and reassess the place of women in the organised crime narrative. Central to this aim is the consideration how narrative was, and is, often crafted to help achieve certain political goals, often allowing evidence to be deliberately overlooked. Using case studies of individual women, this work will illuminate wider themes that are important to the study of the relationship between gender and organised crime. This approach will show how studies of organised crime can be strengthened by approaching the topic on a case-by-case basis. The experiences of these women express how gender wreaked havoc with how criminal women were viewed, and that gender had a great, and in many cases the greatest, influence in dictating how women were condemned. It will point out that the way in which organised crime is understood has been informed by gender in ways which are not often considered. At its core, this thesis aims to demonstrate that women had greater involvement and influence in organised crime than has been generally argued and that women should therefore take a more central role in narratives of organised crime.<p></p>

Author dc:creator

• Emily Green (21041408)

• Organised Crime
• US History
• Women's History

Statement dc:rights

• All rights reserved
• Open Access after 2027-08-23

Identifier

10779/exe.31353739.v1

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:figshare.com:article/31353739