Representation of Subcultures in the Media!

Stan Cohen (1972/80): ‘Folk Devils & Moral

Panics’…

Cohen was interested in the truth behind the ‘Mods vs.

Rockers’ media hype in the late 1960s. According to the

media the violence between the ‘Mods’ and ‘Rockers’ was a

national problem that represented the decay (atrophy) of

society.

Cohen reached very different

conclusions compared to what the media was reporting…….

The Mods and Rockers were two conflicting SUBCULTURES.

Cohen found the following in his research

(which contradicted the media stories)…..

> The ‘Violence’ that the media reported was actually minimal – the media

sensationalised the story and portrayed subcultures to be criminal and

dangerous > HOWEVER the majority of young people at the seaside during these so called ‘riots’ were not Mods or Rockers.

> The media seemed to have painted a skewed picture of

events & sensationalised the clashes between these two

groups.

In order to understand why this

occurred (occurs), Cohen suggests

we need to understand the concepts

of Social Control, Folk Devils &

Moral Panics .

What is a Moral Panic?The process of arousing social concern over an issue—usually the work of

MORAL ENTREPRENEURS. This inevitably involves the creation of a FOLK

DEVIL (this is often a SUBCULTURE).

Who are these Moral Entrepreneurs?A Moral Entrepreneur is a person, group or organisation with the power to

create or enforce rules & impose their morals, views & attitudes on to others

e.g.

> Politicians> Teachers> Parents> Religious Leaders

What is a Folk Devil?Over simplified, ill-informed generalisations of particular people/ social groups

who Moral Entrepreneurs wish to demonise e.g

> Mods & Rockers> Hoodies> Lone-parent Families> Immigrants> Young Muslims> Paedophiles> Football Hooligans etc……….

By labelling groups and ‘subcultures’ creating Folk Devils – as well as

exaggerating the extent of these ‘problems’ in society through the Media,

Moral Entrepreneurs are able to generate Moral Panics within society:

What does a Moral Panic Involve?

Muncie (1987):

> Simplification of an insubordinate/ subversive

minority.> Simplification of Cause

> Stigmatisation of those involved (Labelling).

> Generation of trepidation amongst the public

> A ‘Stamp Down’ on these groups

Why would these Moral Entrepreneurs do this i.e. why would they

misrepresent crime & deviance by generating Folk Devils & Moral Panics?

……..Hegemony………Hall (1976) ‘hegemony refers to the process by which the ruling class is

able not only to coerce a subordinate class to conform to its interests, but to

exert ‘hegemony’ or ‘total social authority’ over subordinate classes.

The ‘Hegemonic Image of Crime’ is that is that it is ‘street related, in public

and committed by strangers….this is not a true representation of what’s

really going on.

What are the effects of this Hegemonic Image f Crime on the Public i.e.

YOU?!

Fragments the working classes and turns them on one-another and

thus justifies the use of repressive control.

Justifies inequalities in society and reasserts the power of those in

the higher echelons of society i.e. Labelling being used as a form of

SOCIAL CONTROL.

The problem continues however as by generating such folk devils and moral

panics, the crime rate actually goes up…………………

Jock Young (1967/9) ‘Deviance Amplification

Spiral’Labels, Folk Devils & Moral Panics actually generate more

crime!

E.g. Drug Takers in Notting Hill…..

Police in Notting Hill are susceptible to media stories & stereotypes and as

such target these typical ‘folk devils’ regardless of what they have or have

not done:> Police arrest drug marijuana smokers for minor

offences

> In response to these stories, the police

crack down even harder on these folk

devils.

> This pushes the ‘Drug Takers’ ‘underground’ – this raises

police suspicion & pushes the price of drugs up – the police crack

down even more harshly (More Media Coverage).

> The ‘Drug Taker’s’ start resisting arresting arrest, turn to new types

of drugs and have to organise themselves better (MORE DEVIANCE)

> The media sensationlise these stories and thus have their Folk

Devil ‘The Drug Taker’ and begin to generate a Moral Panic about

‘Drug Takers’.

The more people read about drug related problems the more likely they are to see for themselves what all the fuss is about and join subcultures.

Moral Panics about Knife Crime means that more people are

fearful of being attacked in the streets and therefore start

carrying knives themselves. It is a fact that you are more

likely to be stabbed or stab someone else if you get into an

argument/ scuffle if you are carrying a knife

yourself……………………Moral Panics lead to Deviance

Amplification.