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.