Overview

Outlawry and espionage would seem to be quite different phenomena, rarely discussed together, but this book shows that they have something in common - both involve exclusion from law. Challenging previous readings that view outlawry as a now-superseded historical phenomenon, and outlaws as figures of popular resistance, Conor McCarthy argues that legal exclusion is a longstanding and enduring means of supporting state power. Through close analysis of the literatures of outlawry and espionage, this book shows the important role of literature in representing and critiquing exclusion from law. It uncovers legal exclusion as a key theme in writing about outlaws and spies from the Middle Ages to the present day, as a means to offer critique and to demand justice.Texts discussed range from the medieval Robin Hood ballads, Shakespeare's history plays and versions of the Ned Kelly story to contemporary writing by John le Carre, Don DeLillo, Ciaran Carson and William Gibson.

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9781474455947

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Reviews

"Outlaws and Spies will be of interest to those who study the history of nation states and the relationship between governments and their peoples, in both the real and imagined worlds ... McCarthy's work is timely, as we continue to live in an era of growing uncertainty regarding the delineation between state power, particularly concerning covert surveillance and propaganda, and the basic human rights of individual autonomy and protection of the law.--Eric J. Morgan, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay ""Cultural History"""

Author Information

Conor McCarthy, Director of Philanthropy, National Library of Australia.

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