State Authority and Convict Agency in the Paper Panopticon: The Recording of Convict Ages in Nineteenth-Century England and Australia
Ward, R
Date: 16 November 2021
Article
Journal
Australian Historical Studies
Publisher
Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
Publisher DOI
Abstract
The nineteenth century witnessed the creation of a ‘paper Panopticon’ designed to capture
information about offenders in England, especially those who were transported to Australia. This
article considers the effectiveness of this new record-keeping system and asks whether convicts had
some agency within it. These questions are ...
The nineteenth century witnessed the creation of a ‘paper Panopticon’ designed to capture
information about offenders in England, especially those who were transported to Australia. This
article considers the effectiveness of this new record-keeping system and asks whether convicts had
some agency within it. These questions are explored through a macroscopic analysis of the recording
of convict ages in nineteenth-century England and Australia, made possible by the Digital Panopticon
project. By using the methodological opportunities opened up by digital technologies, we can test the
accuracy of historical records in new ways, and in the process develop a better understanding of the
encounter between state authority and convict agency.
History
Collections of Former Colleges
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