ABSTRACT
The zombie as a cultural icon often represents a threat to social order, just as any other monstrous being does. The zombie, however, is particularly horrifying because it wears the clothing and other markers of our culture, reminding us that threats to our well-being and to our society as a whole often come from within that society. This chapter examines the story arc of The Walking Dead as a commentary on several elements of American carcerality. By questioning the storyline that accompanies the prison set in the second, third, and fourth seasons, this chapter questions the false sense of security promised by the prison industrial complex. This chapter also examines the reductive narrative that dominates our understanding of criminality, and the assumption that our true threat is other people rather than oppressive social structures that impact people of color and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds more heavily than more privileged groups.
