Reading twelve angry men from the prism of crowd psychology

Abstract EN

The rivalry between the One and the Many is a recurrent debate in American history.

The Legal System is a sphere that crystallizes this rivalry.

While the Jury System is a preserved institution in the American Constitution, the frequent scandalous performances of jury members contradict their idealized position as independent protectors of Justice and Liberty.

Sidney Lumet's Twelve Angry Men offers a cinematic view from within this institution.

The following paper aims at analyzing this movie from a less-visited perspective.

With a chief reliance on Le Bonian views on Crowd/Group Psychology and Žižekean/Benjaminian postulations on Violence, this research essays to divulge the dynamics of group inherent to jury deliberations.

Issues of unconsciousness, racial/emotional biases, leadership, manipulation of the group, and violence will be highlighted in this article.