New Books Network Agata Fijalkowski, "Law, Visual Culture, and the Show Trial" (Routledge, 2023)
Dec 30, 2025
Agata Fijalkowski, a Reader in law at Leeds Beckett University, dives into the compelling intersection of law and visual culture in post-WWII Europe. She discusses how photography was weaponized in communist show trials to legitimize injustice. Fijalkowski defines show trials as scripted spectacles that manufactured legitimacy, revealing the intricate ways regimes crafted narratives of power and control. Through powerful case studies, including the story of Musina Kokolari, she illustrates the resilience captured in images against oppressive regimes.
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How A Photograph Sparked The Project
- Fijalkowski encountered Musina Kocolari's photograph in Albanian archives and felt haunted by it.
- Finding Kocolari's trial transcript later motivated the book's focus on visual storytelling.
Law As Performance Captured By Photos
- Law functions as performance and photography captures moments of that performance affecting public perception.
- Agata Fijalkowski argues visual culture reveals law's limits and emotional force during repressive trials.
Show Trials: Scripted Legality, Predecided Verdicts
- Show trials mimic legitimate procedures while delivering predecided verdicts to consolidate power.
- Fijalkowski defines show trials as scripted performances that manufacture legitimacy and silence opposition.