Chas Critcher's Study Is Doubly Welcome As It Discusses Theoretical Underpinnings Thoroughly, And Also Provides A Set Of Illustrative Case Studies ... This Is An Important And Stimulating Book For A Range Of Audiences.--vista Vol 8 No 3. How Are Social Problems Defined And Responded To In Contemporary Society? What Is The Role Of The Media In Creating, Endorsing And Sustaining Moral Panics? The Term 'moral Panic' Is Frequently Applied To Sudden Outbreaks Of Concern About Social Problems. Chas Critcher Critically Evaluates The Usefulness Of Moral Panic Models For Understanding How Politicians, The Public And Pressure Groups Come To Recognise Apparent New Threats To The Social Order, And He Scrutinizes The Role Of The Media, Especially The Popular Press. Two Models Of Moral Panics Are Identified And Explained, Then Applied To A Range Of Case Studies: Aids; Rave Culture And The Drug Ecstasy; Video Nasties; Child Abuse; Paedophilia. Examples Of Moral Panics From A Range Of Countries Reveal Many Basic Similarities But Also Significant Variations Between Different National Contexts. The Conclusion Is That Moral Panic Remains A Useful Tool For Analysis But Needs More Systematic Connection To Wider Theoretical Concerns, Especially Those Of The Risk Society And Discourse Analysis. The Models -- Made In Britain: The Processual Model Of Moral Panics -- Cohen: Folk Devils And Moral Panics -- Hall Et Al.: Policing The Crisis -- Eliciting A Model -- Notes From A Big Country: The Attributional Model Of Moral Panics -- Claims Making And The Mass Media -- Goode And Ben-yehuda: Moral Panics -- Jenkins: Intimate Enemies -- Two Models, One Project -- Unhealthy Preoccupations: Aids -- Out Of Their Minds: Ecstasy And Raves -- A Rocky Horror Show: Video Nasties -- The First Video Nasties Narrative, 1982-84 -- The Second Video Nasties Narrative, 1993-94 -- Suffer The Little Children: Child Abuse In Families -- Physical Abuse As Moral Panic -- Cleveland As Moral Panic -- Ritual Abuse As Moral Panic -- Monstrous Ideas: Paedophilia -- Applying The Models -- Beyond Moral Panics -- International Comparisons -- The Implications -- Universal Pictures: International Comparisons -- Political, Economic And Social Change -- Key Institutions -- Specificity Of Issues -- Diffusion -- Moral Panics And Modernity -- No News Is Good News: The Role Of The Media -- News Values And Inferential Structures -- Primary Definers And Claims Makers -- Agenda Setting And Public Opinion -- News Attention Cycle And Narrative Closure -- The Daily Mail -- Time For A Make-over: The Models Revisited -- Dynamics -- Determinism -- Social Anxiety -- Change -- Critical Overview -- Towards A Synthesis -- Myth Appropriation: The Childhood Theme -- Childhood And Moral Panics -- Childhood As Social Construction -- Childhood As Symbol -- Childhood And Change. Chas Critcher. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [183]-198) And Index.

Chas Critcher

Issues in cultural and media studies, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2003

Issues in cultural and media studies, Buckingham, England, 2003

ISSUES IN CULTURAL AND MEDIA STUDIES, BUCKINGHAM, Unknown

United Kingdom and Ireland, United Kingdom

1, PS, 2003

Includes bibliographical references and index.

The term "moral panic" is frequently applied to sudden eruptions of concern about social problems. This title critically evaluates the usefulness of moral panic models for understanding how politicians, the public and pressure groups come to recognize apparently new threats to the social order. The role of the media, especially the popular press, comes under scrutiny. Two models of moral panics are initially identified and explained, then applied to a range of case studies: AIDS, rave/ecstasy, video nasties, child abuse and paedophilia. Experience is compared across a range of countries, revealing many basic similarities but also significant variations between different national contexts. Common to all is an increasing focus on threats to children, evoking images of childhood innocence. The conclusion is that moral panic remains a useful tool for analysis but needs more systematic connection to wider theoretical concerns, especially those of the risk society and discourse analysis

xiii, 207 p. ; 23 cm
Includes bibliographical references (p. [181]-198) and index

2023-06-28