Justified Violence

Justified Violence: The Myth of the Vigilante Hero in American Culture is a scholarly examination of the relationship between mythmaking and aggression within the United States. This social science volume analyzes how cultural narratives shape the perception of the vigilante, exploring the societal frameworks that frame extrajudicial force as a necessary or heroic act.

Author Erik Mortensen provides a critical perspective on the historical and contemporary ties between national myths and physical violence. As volume 1 of this study, the text offers a timely exploration of how American culture justifies violence through specific heroic archetypes. This work serves as a rigorous analysis of the social dynamics and ideological patterns that sustain the myth of the vigilante hero.