moral panic

Question 1

cohen - interactionist

Answer 1

• Called moral panics ‘a situation where an individual or group is labeled by the media, defined as a threat to society’s values, presented in a stereotypical fashion, made a target by the local authorities.
  E.g. Mods and Rockers - Small clash in Clacton-on-sea occurred on a slow news day - Over reported and the deviancy was amplified. This created a self-fulfilling prophecy where the young people involved then got involved in a larger clash in Brighton but events were still sensationalised - Youths were labeled as folk devils who posed a threat to society’s morals / values.

Question 2

mcrobbie and thornton

Answer 2

McRobbie and Thornton (1995) - suggest some parts of the media have become so sophisticated in understanding how deviancy amplification work that “moral panics, once the unintended outcome of journalistic practice, seem to have become a goal” – Meaning that attempts are now made by the media to create stories that aim to have some form of shock value rather than because there is an actual moral outrage.

Question 3

marxist

Answer 3

Marxists claim that by distracting people, it masks the real social problems of society. Cohen argues that by studying moral panics it allows us to see “ways we are being manipulated into taking some things seriously and other things not seriously enough”.

Question 4

miller and reilly - marxist

Answer 4

Miller and Reilly (1994) - Claim that moral panics ‘soften up’ public opinions on issues, so that people are prepared to accept repressive social controls (new laws, for example) as ‘solutions to particular problems’. They argue that this is a way of the ruling class gaining more control over the masses.

Question 5

waiton

Answer 5

Waiton argues moral panics are less likely to occur because societies no-longer have a strong central moral code shared by most of the population - Meaning we have no morals to threaten!

Question 6

thornton- interactionist

Answer 6

Thornton studied the moral panic of ravers in the 90s and applied the work of Cohen to this movement. She found evidence of a moral panic surrounding Ravers and drug taking. Thornton did an ethnography and discovered that the reality of the situation was very different to what was being presented in the media. (Link to Death of Leah Betts from ecstasy as an example of the moral panic) - Watch the video on ravers to support this view:

Question 7

wilkins - interactionist

Answer 7

Wilkins - Developed the deviancy amplification spiral…
1. Deviant act is committed, 2. ‘Folk Devil’ emerges, 3. Public kept informed - Leads to larger audiences, 4. Publicity glamorises the ‘deviant’ behaviour, 5. Moral panic develops and public concern emerges about the real or exaggerated “threat”, 6. Public feel their fear is justified and moral panic is reinforces, 7. Media profits more from the whole spiral and continues to report the deviance.

Question 8

hall et al - neo marxist

Answer 8

Hall et al - Suggest that moral panics benefit capitalism – they argue that the ruling class defines what is ‘deviance’, and therefore decide who the ‘folk devils’ are. For example they look at the case of “muggings” in the media and the way in which this concept was developed to encourage a panic. They state that this has been applied to young, black, working class males with the aim of causing a division amongst the white and black working class. By preventing unification… this stops a revolution as the masses will not unite…