Folk Devils and Moral Panics (Routledge Classics)

Especially apropos in current political social climate ... Written well, entertaining...on point. Reminding me, whatever the current moral panic (be it climate change, bad politics, or ...whatever) ...it will soon be replaced by another...ha!

Excellent text

Stanley Cohen examines the panicked reactions of local communities and media outlets to disturbances of youth belonging to various subcultures at a number of English seaside towns in the late 1960s. Cohen argues that a process of ‘deviant amplification’ was at play within this reaction to the extent that it was disproportionate to the threat presented to the communities concerned, and that the reaction was, in effect and in fact, a moral panic consciously instigated as a kind of morality play by community leaders who, perceiving a threat in the disturbances to order based on their authority, were anxious to reassert both.Through his examination of the development of the process of deviant amplification, in essence what other writers have referred to alternatively as the ‘production of deviance,’ Cohen reveals that the development of moral panic in this instance was based on an almost identical process often used to guide disaster response efforts. The difference in this instance was however that, rather than responding to an actual crisis with actions designed to help the community, the scare mongers manufactured crisis with actions designed to help the community, though only insofar as the interests of the community and those of its most powerful and privileged sectors were understood to be one and the same thing.Cohen describes the response to the perceived crisis as beginning with an ‘inventory’ stage involving the locating, targeting and labeling of deviants, the formulating and initiating of action plans though a ‘reaction’ phase, and letting the fear and loathing of the population aroused as a result of these two stages crystallize into a feedback loop of further deviance production and institutional repression. As Cohen demonstrates, this process coupled with the concomitant polarization of the community, served in a totally predictable and unsurprising manner to alienate the youth even more and inspire them to escalate rather than reign in the disturbances.In lieu of actually solving the supposed problem, Cohen reveals, the latter stages of a moral panic in particular function instead to rehabilitate the ideological foundations of the status quo and the authority of those who represent it. He likewise reveals the actual causes of the disturbances on the beach and the ensuing moral panic to derive not from the wayward nature of the Mods and Rockers so much as the changing circumstances of the times, not least of which being the emergence of youth culture from which the young gained a sense of independent identity, and high unemployment which added volatility to what was already a threatening attitude of nonconformity.In sympathy with Oplinger’s findings then, Cohen demonstrates convincingly that the process of deviance production or amplification driving the moral panic in the case of the beachside disturbances developed as a result of the fear of change of many in the community who were overwhelmed by events and either unwilling, unable or both to address the actual causes of the problem. The testimony of many young people present to being bored, at a loose end with too much time and too little structure or direction and feeling alienated from a society that didn’t seem to care about them was discounted in favour of media-driven demonization that painted them as hoodlums and thugs intentionally trying to disrupt otherwise peaceful towns for their own selfish, malevolent and vicious ends — a process that itself might have been described in similar terms.

Here in the United States there are moral panics of one sort or another and I felt that I would get a copy of this book. The book is readable provided you have an interest in the subject otherwise it just might put you to sleep. Another problem is that it is British centric, there are examples from the United States or indeed from anywhere other than the U.K. I realize that the British have a reputation as somewhat odd (warm beer, like wearing warm clothes during summer.) But that does not justify having a book about "moral panics" and this condition only happens in the U.K. The book is also somewhat dated (Vietnam War Era.)

Book

I heard twice about this book: the first time was in an anthropology manual and the second googleing something about history of motorcycles, cafe racers and similar. So I decided to order it and I was not let down: the subject is very interesting, very present in every day life (creation and manipulation of the image of the "bad guy" and creation of moral panic among the citizens) and extremely well presented with plenty of examples.Particularly useful for those who try to understand the mass media, cultural or social anthropology and sociology, but most of all a pleasant reading.

Stan Cohen's work which first explored the idea of the moral panic is a necessity for any one interested in the field of critical criminology.

This book is a must for anyone studying criminology, sociology, psychology... or who just has an interest in human nature and how we are influenced by outside pressures. This 30th anniversary edition has been updated to reflect more recent events such as the killing of James Bulger (the original was written about the Mods and Rockers phenomenon). Whether you read it as a textbook, or simply out of an interest in social history, this is unmissable. Unlike many sociologists, Stan Cohen uses accessible language - always a bonus when reading for coursework!! :D

An excellent read, really thought provoking and a good insight into a easy to understand and interesting piece of sociological research. Raises lots of questions about the role of the media, police and those in power. Can be easily applied to today;s society. I am an A'Level Sociology teacher and have put this on my students reading list.

bought for an exam, is well written and interesting: if you want to know more about mods & rockers, with a little bit of sociology in it, that's the right book for you :)