Disability, Global Popular Media, and Injustice in the Notorious Trial of Oscar Pistorius

Abstract

The South African sporting celebrity Oscar Pistorius has long been a subject of fascination for what his rise to fame tells us about disability and society. His trial for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2012-2014 saw the global sporting icon’s reputation shattered, and a furious, wide-ranging debate rage about his guilt or innocence. Central to how this international debate unfolded were the meanings of disability. This chapter discusses the role of disability and global popular media in the case of Pistorius, exploring the representations of disability, and the way that social media and participatory cultures played a key role in their interpretation — and how publics viewed him.