Monday, April 23, 2012

Reading 7: Moral Panics

To quote Murray Hamilton in the film Jaws (1975), "it's all psychological. You yell barracuda, everybody says, "Huh? What?" You yell shark, we've got a panic on our hands on the 4th of July".
The definitive definition of moral panics is "A condition, episode, person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interest"(Cohen, 1987: 9). Cohen's definitions go on to say how the nature of the panic is portrayed in "a stylized and stereotypical fashion by the mass media". Krinsky comments on how there is a union between "the media, politicians, clergy, "experts," and activists" as they "do battle with an exaggerated or imagined social menace, in the process stirring up fear, confusion, anger and intolerance in the public mind" (2008: 1). Cohen does highlight that it is the various youth cultures who are commonly associated with moral panics. They were originally from working class backgrounds, but moved towards middle classes and student based groups (similar to groups today). The most notable groups were the Teddy Boys and the Mods and Rockers of the 50s and 60s.
However, Thompson (1998) comments on how youths can be at risk and not just the source. He does say that children aren't normally regarded as a source of risk, unless in the very rare cases, such as the James Bulger case (two ten-year-old boys (Robert Thompson and Jon Venables) murdered two-year-old James Bulger in 1993) (Thompson, 1998: 44).
The most recent example of a moral panic was the riots last summer across the country. This past week, a 34 year-old man (not a youth) was jailed for 11½ for setting fire to a furniture shop in Croydon. Trevor Reeves, owner of House of Reeves store described it as "mindless, brainless work of individuals". Those were his words being broadcast on the BBC the day after the attack (BBC: 2011). The situation did start peacefully as a protest on August 6th, progressing from Broadwater Farm to Tottenham Police Station. The following night, there were some riotous outbreaks and on 8th, all areas of London were on riot alert. This is when it escalated nationwide, fuelled by comments posted on Blackberry Messenger utilizing the power of social media.
However, there have always been protests in our country. It is hardly a new phenomenon. Parallels can be drawn throughout history, exemplified by the Peasants' Revolt against poll tax levied in 1381. Though initiated by the lower classes, there were concerns raised in the upper classes about the need to reform the feudal system. But was the support of nobles driven by panic? There is also the Luddite movement (1811-12), initiated by textile artisans. They protested against changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution by destroying looms. New Government laws came about and 17 people were sentenced to death following mass trial. The Luddites fought the army; more British soldiers were involved in this conflict than against Napoleon. Thirdly, the Riot Act came to law in 1714, claiming that a group of 12 or more assembling unlawfully to be deemed a riot that must be dispersed. Refusal was punishable by the death penalty.
Other notable moral panics in my opinion include act of terrorism (July 7th bombings and 9/11), epidemics of bird flu and to some extent the Cold War.



Reference list
Bibliography
  • Clarke, J., Critcher, C., Hall, S., Jefferson, T., Roberts, B. (1978) Policing The Crisis: Mugging, the State, and Law and Order. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
  • Cohen, S. (1987) Folk Devils & Moral Panics: The Creation of the Mods and Rockers. (3rd ed.) Blackwell Publishers: Oxford
  • Krinsky, C (2008) Introduction in Moral Panics over Contemporary Children and Youth. Aldershot: Ashgate
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