Timeless Kills: Media Looping and the Cultural Production of Serial Killer Icons

ABSTRACT Constructionist theorists emphasize that meanings are socially created and disseminated through symbolic communication, with media holding a vital role in these processes. This study examines how meanings regarding the life and crimes of Jeffrey Dahmer, infamous American serial killer, have been repeatedly constructed and reconstructed in media since his crimes were discovered in 1991. Drawing on the concept of “looping,” it analyzes how decades of mediated representations—in a diverse array of media technologies and formats, ranging from news and documentaries to social media and consumer merchandise—have reformatted public memory and meanings regarding Dahmer and his crimes. Findings highlight how technology shifts, media logic, and cultural narratives fuel recurring representations that can alternately reinforce or revise existing frames and meanings. Potential implications for constructionist inquiry are discussed.