Date Approved
2016
Degree Type
Open Access Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department or School
Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology
Committee Member
Peter Wood
Committee Member
Kristina Ajrouch
Committee Member
Brian Sellers
Abstract
This literature review examines self-defense as a general concept and in the context of specific legal doctrines. It looks at general issues of self-defense, such as philosophical principles, morality, and social norms; general guidelines of proportionality and force; and how non-lethal technology does not change these principles and guidelines. From there, the paper exams three major legal doctrines—Duty to Retreat, Castle Doctrine, and Stand Your Ground— and discusses their definitions, histories, legal significance, applied usages and specific study results, and the arguments and controversies surrounding them. The paper then analyzes the concept of self-defense through the theoretical perspective of Donald Black and concludes with a summation of what these laws have meant for the United States.
Recommended Citation
Shields, Jake, "Self-defense in the United States: A review of the literature" (2016). Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations. 877.
https://commons.emich.edu/theses/877