Daniel LaChance

Daniel LaChance is an Associate Professor of History and Andrew W. Mellon Faculty Fellow in Law and the Humanities at Emory University, serving as Director of Undergraduate Studies. His work bridges legal history, cultural studies, and criminology, focusing on law’s relationship with violence and its representation in media. He holds a B.A. in English from Carleton College (2001) and a Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of Minnesota (2011).

Research interests include the cultural dimensions of capital punishment, crime depiction in reality TV, and the social history of American legal practices since 1945. His award-winning book Executing Freedom (2016) analyzes the death penalty’s fluctuating cultural significance, while his co-authored Crimesploitation (2022) critiques media portrayals of crime in shows like Cops. Current projects explore journalistic and fictional accounts of executions since 1877.

Recent accolades include the 2022–23 Chronos Fellowship, supporting his research on executions’ cultural impact and creating undergraduate research roles. He serves as Treasurer of the Association for the Study of Law, Culture, and the Humanities.