Stanley Cohen's Concept of a Moral Panic Essay Example
Introduction
Stanley Cohen has become famous due to his brilliant works on sociology, criminology and human rights. His talent allowed him to depict human fears and concerns, conflicts between different social groups and human sufferings which resulted from these conflicts. Stanley Cohen’s career started to move in the upward direction with the publication of his first serious research in 1972. The book called “Folk Devils and Moral Panics” was devoted to the issues relevant to the British society in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Exactly in this book he introduced for the first time such a term as “moral panic”, which became rather widely used since then. The author of the book concentrated his attention on the rivalry of the two British “gangs” residing in Liverpool. Stanley Cohen analysed the ideology and behavior of both groups as well as the role of mass media in raising the conflict between them.
The main goal of the current study is to speak about the concept of “moral panic” which was introduced by Stanley Cohen in his studies. The paper will also focus on the conflict between the Mods and Rockers which occurred at the early 1960’s in Great Britain.
Stanley Cohen’s Concept of a Moral Panic
As it has been stated above it was Stanley Cohen who brought the concept of moral panic in the common usage. Before analyzing the term “moral panic” it is necessary to give a clear definition of it. A moral panic is kind of attitude or reaction of the society towards certain social groups or sub-cultures, which is based on ideas and beliefs that the given groups are very dangerous to the society. Thus, such groups are perceived as the major threat to the culture and social values, health and well-being of the people. According to Stanley Cohen, “societies appear to be subject, every now and then, to periods of moral panic” [2], this means that a moral panic is not something extraordinary and extremely dangerous. When such a phenomenon as moral panic appears in the
Stanley Cohen has become famous due to his brilliant works on sociology, criminology and human rights. His talent allowed him to depict human fears and concerns, conflicts between different social groups and human sufferings which resulted from these conflicts. Stanley Cohen’s career started to move in the upward direction with the publication of his first serious research in 1972. The book called “Folk Devils and Moral Panics” was devoted to the issues relevant to the British society in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Exactly in this book he introduced for the first time such a term as “moral panic”, which became rather widely used since then. The author of the book concentrated his attention on the rivalry of the two British “gangs” residing in Liverpool. Stanley Cohen analysed the ideology and behavior of both groups as well as the role of mass media in raising the conflict between them.
The main goal of the current study is to speak about the concept of “moral panic” which was introduced by Stanley Cohen in his studies. The paper will also focus on the conflict between the Mods and Rockers which occurred at the early 1960’s in Great Britain.
Stanley Cohen’s Concept of a Moral Panic
As it has been stated above it was Stanley Cohen who brought the concept of moral panic in the common usage. Before analyzing the term “moral panic” it is necessary to give a clear definition of it. A moral panic is kind of attitude or reaction of the society towards certain social groups or sub-cultures, which is based on ideas and beliefs that the given groups are very dangerous to the society. Thus, such groups are perceived as the major threat to the culture and social values, health and well-being of the people. According to Stanley Cohen, “societies appear to be subject, every now and then, to periods of moral panic” [2], this means that a moral panic is not something extraordinary and extremely dangerous. When such a phenomenon as moral panic appears in the