(6) Media & Deviant subcultures

• What is a folk devil?

  A folk devil is a person or group that is portrayed as a threat to society and blamed for causing moral panic or social problems.
• “Social types” that serve as “visual reminders of what we should not be” - Cohen
• The concept of a Folk devil was introduced by Cohen in 1972. He named his study “Folk Devils and Moral Panic”.
• Cohen argued that when the media reports on deviant behaviour they construct a narrative which features a clear villain: the folk devil
• Cohen introduced the concept of a folk devil after researching which youth subcultures clash?

  The Mods and Rockers
• Cohen researched the Mods & Rockers & the media storm from their clash 1964
• Researching the Mods & Rockers led Cohen to note the 3 stages in the media reporting / making folk devils:

  • Symbolisation —the folk devil is portrayed in one singular narrative, their appearance and overall identity are oversimplified to be easily recognisable.
  • Exaggeration — the facts of the controversy surrounding the folk devil are distorted or fabricated altogether to make sure the subculture appears immoral
  • Prediction — further immoral actions on the part of the folk devil are anticipated
• Which sociologists give examples of Folk devils?

  • Cohen (Mods & Rockers)
  • Alexander (The New Asian Folk Devil)
  • Fawbert ("hoddies")
• Which sociologist gave the example "The New Asian Folk Devil"?

  Alexander
• Which sociologist gave the example of "hoodies" for the symbolisation stage Cohen noted?

  Fawbert
• Fawebert found that "hoodies" became symbols of mischief
• When examining newspapers Fawbert found that hoodies became the most commonly used term to describe young people involved in crime in the 2000s.
• The folk devil of young people and the media's stage of symbolisation:

  In 2005 Tony Blair vowed to clamp down on anti-social behaviour and young people were banned from wearing hoodies in certain shopping centres.
• The fact that the majority of the young people wearing hoodies were not criminals did not matter to the media - they had successfully created a folk devil symbol
• What did Alexander note about the folk devil she named "The New Asian Folk Devil"?

  She noted how the stereotypes of Muslim boys had changed from being passive and hard-working to being often portrayed as a threat to society.
• Alexander claimed the change in the portrayal of Asians was due to what?

  the media exaggerating and fabricating stories about their involvement in terrorism or riots
• Alexander's study on "The New Asian Folk Devil" showed which stage of the media reporting / creating folk devils?

  Exaggeration
• Alexander did research on The New Asian Folk Devil — finding that they were viewed as aggressive and at high risk of being radicalised because of the media exaggerating and fabricating stories about their involvement in terrorism or riots
• Cohen used the term "Moral panic" to refer to what?

  The media creating anxieties amongst the general public — about the behaviour of a particular social group who have been presented as “folk devils"
• Cohen suggests that “Moral panic” puts pressure on authority to do what?

  to control the problem and discipline the group

  However, the media's and general public's concern is usually out of proportion to any real threat to society :0
• Which 2 sociologists research "Moral Panic"?

  • Stanley Cohen
  • Stuart Hall
• Cohen researched moral panic created around which subculture?

  The Mods & Rockers
• Hall researched moral panic created around which social group?

  The Black Youth (depicted as "Muggers")
• Cohen researched the conflict between the mods and rockers and how it caused moral panic. So how did the media cause moral panic about the subculture?

  the media produced exaggerated reports about the extent of the violence between the two groups
• What were the effects of the moral panic caused by the media's depiction of the conflict between the mods and rockers?

  The police responded to this perceived threat to social order by policing future mods and rockers events more heavily and being more likely to arrest youths from either subculture for deviant behaviour
• How do Neo-Marxists view "moral panic"?

  Neo-Marxists see moral panic as serving an ideological function
• Hall noted that in the early 1970s, the UK was experiencing a “crisis in hegemony” -- this later caused the conservative right-wing media and the state to try and divert the blame (divide and rule) -- this caused "moral panic", making it more of a tool to contain power
• What did Hall mean when he stated the UK was experiencing a "crisis in hegemony" in the 1970s?

  A "crisis in hegemony" meant that the proletariats were openly challenging the government and the bourgeoisie's power. This was because the public was seeing the failure of capitalism.
• Black youth seen as muggers — the conservative right-wing media collaborated with the state and the police to create a moral panic around the criminal offence of mugging (Hall)
• Sensationalist news stories — made a folk devil of black youth making them seem to be muggers. This served the ideological purpose of turning the white working class against the black working class instead of them both trying to dismantle capitalism (DIVDE & RULE)
• Hall studied how "moral panic" served as an ideological function. Using the muggers as an example. What were the effects of causing moral panic about the black youth being muggers?

  It resulted in the white working class insisting on increased policing in black communities. The public's attention had been successfully redirected away from the mismanagement of capitalism.
• What is the "deviance amplification spiral" according to Wilkins?

  Behaviour that begins as relatively minor deviance is amplified into more serious forms of criminal deviance as a result of the intervention of agencies of control such as the police and mass media
• Who came up with the definition for the term "deviance amplification spiral"?

  Wilkins
• Wilkins claims that once a folk devil has been created it becomes the focus of the media and other similar stories that normally wouldn't make the news fall under the new media focus and become newsworthy.
• Wilkins also mentions how the media's reports can make actions seem cool or socially acceptable leading to more people trying it. (deviancy amplification)
• Which sociologists researched subcultures which were examples of deviancy amplification?

  1. Young (The Drugtakers)
  2. Murphy (glorification of football hooliganism)
• Which sociologist showed how interactions between a group of hippies and the police produced more crime rather than less?

  Young
• Who supported Wilkins' theory noting that the media encouraged violence at football games through blatant forms of glorification of hooliganism?

  Murphy
• What subculture were "the drugtakers" Young studied?

  They were a small hippie subculture in Notting Hill
• What were the traits of "the drugtakers" / hippies Young studied before the media sensationalised their subculture?

  The subculture was mostly law-abiding but occasionally smoked marijuana