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Moral panics – presumptions and stereotypes. 105MC Carousel . What is a moral panic? . How are moral panics created? . Through: Folk devils – outsiders (folk law / media) Outsiders as deviants Outsiders blamed for criminality, social problems, immorality, disease Stereotyping .
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Moral panics – presumptions and stereotypes. 105MC Carousel
How are moral panics created? Through: • Folk devils – outsiders (folk law / media) • Outsiders as deviants • Outsiders blamed for criminality, social problems, immorality, disease • Stereotyping
Why are moral panics created ? • Reasons depending on location, culture, medium, media • Restoring social equilibrium • Controlling deviancy and its characteristics • Understanding Us and Them
What fears do moral panics play on? • Folk devils - Stanley Cohen (Mods/Rockers) • Scapegoats • ‘Difference’ or deviant to the mainstream = something negative • Social breakdown / breakdown of values • Morals contrary to dominant culture • Criminal behaviour • Perception of what is right or wrong
Laswell 1948
Communication through stereotyping What is a stereotype What is its function?
Labelling and Politics • Deviants - tied to social problems due to violating social norms (Polsky, 1967:44). • Ned Polsky - the hustler and American life. • Labelling someone as deviant can be used for political means (Blackman, 2011, Becker, 1963:7, Cohen, 1972:9).
Worrying in the media • How to spot a communist - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkYl_AH-qyk • Charlie Says always tell your mummy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDu7yYHxZr0 • Kitchen for Trouble https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMXOZw3QpQI&list=PLEDE76779433549DE • Homophobia - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pcy_6anmVUc • Funny ones – Don’t talk to robots: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T5cCjTaZ3A
Activity • Looking at magazines, social networking and YouTube: what are the main characteristics that define youth today? • You will produce a photo storyboard of a short government worry film aimed at the elderly about the dangers of youth’s labelled as ‘hoodies.’ How do you think hoodies are supposed to behave, how do they communicate (think urban dictionary), how should they be represented and how should society respond to them? We will explore the ease to which assumptions about youth and the elderly can be used by the media, the government and the parent culture to sustain stereotypes.