No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the author.
Folk Devils and Moral Panics: The Creation of the Mods and Rockers
Abstract
Mods and Rockers, skinheads, video nasties, designer drugs, bogus asylum seeks and hoodies. Every era has its own moral panics. It was Stanley Cohen’s classic account, first published in the early 1970s and regularly revised, that brought the term ‘moral panic’ into widespread discussion. It is an outstanding investigation of the way in which the media and often those in a position of political power define a condition, or group, as a threat to societal values and interests. Fanned by screaming media headlines, Cohen brilliantly demonstrates how this leads to such groups being marginalised and vilified in the popular imagination, inhibiting rational debate about solutions to the social problems such groups represent. Furthermore, he argues that moral panics go even further by identifying the very fault lines of power in society.
... Isso faz com que a batalha seja centralizada no corpo da mulher, que através do movimento feminista se torna uma "assassina". Dessa forma, o movimento feminista, em relação a "causa da vida", passa a formar um grupo dissidente, que representa interesses "maus" (Cohen, 2011). ...
... Esses distanciamentos serão entendidos aqui à luz da teoria de pânicos morais, que relaciona a formação de grupos que interagem emocionalmente a partir de um senso de ameaça. O conceito de pânico moral, caracterizado por Stanley Cohen, é uma reação social operacionalizada como controle social, na qual dentro de uma narrativa natural um grupo, pessoa ou problema emerge como ameaça social (Cohen, 2011). ...
... Ele seria capaz de criar representações e processos de demonização e patologia sobre determinado tema e evento, gerando ansiedade coletiva e medo. Cohen (2011) detalha a existência de três fases para a criação de um pânico moral: invenção do problema, significação e a fase de ação (Machado, 2004, p.61) Na fase de invenção do problema, a mídia assume papel de exacerbar determinada situação e de criar um conjunto de rumores e percepções públicas de forma desorganizada, proporcionando uma gama de interpretações que ajudam a transformar a questão em problema social. As interpretações criadas na fase da invenção são fundamentais para construir um senso comum que condiciona a interpretação do público. ...
The attack on sexual and reproductive rights is carried out in a strategic and constant manner. In this article, the objective is to analyze the discourse used in these attacks, through the speeches of parliamentarians during the voting on Bill 442/17, by Marielle Franco, in the City Council of Rio de Janeiro, in 2023. Thus, through listening to the records of the voting and bibliographic material, it was possible to observe the discursive resources and the mode of operation of anti-abortion groups. It is worth noting that, in this work, we chose not to make these political figures visible, and therefore, the transcriptions of speeches by councilors in favor of these groups were identified by numbering rather than by names.
... Aqui, parece necessário destacar que, apesar das críticas proferidas por representantes do conservadorismo, dentre outros adeptos deste tipo de cruzada moral (Becker, 2008), pânico moral (Cohen, 1972) ou mesmo pânico satânico (Victor, 1999), ao desenho e jogo infantil mencionado, associando-o ao satanismo e outras demais formas depreciativas, existem estudos que evidenciam como que o Yu-Gi-Oh! contribuiu significativamente para que crianças desenvolvessem estratégias e conceitos de aprendizagem de ordem superior ao que comumente teriam disponível em instituições formais de educação (Balnaves;Tomlinson-Baillie, 2005). ...
... Aqui cabe mencionar que a primeira grande teorização sobre pânicos morais foi realizada por Stanley Cohen (1972) para definir o problema como um fenômeno que aparece de forma periódica nas sociedades em que grupos, pessoas, episódios ou condições são definidos como ameaçadores a ordem e aos valores sociais. A análise inovadora apresentada por Cohen (1972) evidencia que os pânicos morais e sua consequente demonização de certos perfis de sujeitos possui uma relação de interação, que amplifica o desvio em decorrência da atenção midiática e do aumento do controle social propenso a endurecer o desvio original, ou mesmo a intensificar a atração em sua prática para potenciais desviantes. ...
... Aqui cabe mencionar que a primeira grande teorização sobre pânicos morais foi realizada por Stanley Cohen (1972) para definir o problema como um fenômeno que aparece de forma periódica nas sociedades em que grupos, pessoas, episódios ou condições são definidos como ameaçadores a ordem e aos valores sociais. A análise inovadora apresentada por Cohen (1972) evidencia que os pânicos morais e sua consequente demonização de certos perfis de sujeitos possui uma relação de interação, que amplifica o desvio em decorrência da atenção midiática e do aumento do controle social propenso a endurecer o desvio original, ou mesmo a intensificar a atração em sua prática para potenciais desviantes. Ao tratar desse conceito, Garland diz que, "os alvos dos pânicos morais não são aleatoriamente selecionados: são bodes expiatórios culturais cujas condutas desviantes aterrorizam os espectadores de forma muito poderosa, precisamente por que se relacionam com medos pessoais e desejos inconscientes" (2019,48). ...
No início da década de 2000, popularizaram-se no Brasil discursos que
acusavam jogos, filmes, músicas e outras mercadorias da indústria do
entretenimento de promoverem degeneração cultural e manipulação
política de jovens. Essas declarações argumentavam que determinados
produtos, subliminarmente ou explicitamente, corrompiam a juventude,
conduzindo-a ao satanismo e ao comunismo, na medida em que
promoviam a homossexualidade e influenciavam condutas violentas,
que acabaram servindo de justificativa para a produção de cruzadas
morais que visavam sua criminalização. O presente artigo tem por
objetivo investigar empiricamente alguns dos efeitos práticos da versão
brasileira do pânico satânico – uma espécie de pânico moral - criado
para os jogos. Para tanto, foram analisadas algumas das memórias
sobre uma série de matérias exibidas no ano de 2003 no programa
“Boa noite Brasil” da TV Bandeirantes em que card games e jogos
de RPG foram associados ao satanismo. Os relatos foram coletados a
partir de comentários proferidos por usuários que possuem perfis em
plataformas online como o Reddit, Youtube e Discord e demonstram as
consequências práticas do uso político do medo, sobretudo, por meio
das mídias digitais
... Stanley Cohen'in ahlaki panik teorisi, toplumsal tepkilerin algılanan tehditlere karşı nasıl yaygın bir korku ve kınamaya dönüşebileceğini ve bu süreçlerin belirli grupların veya davranışların damgalanmasına yol açabileceğini anlamak için bir çerçeve sunmaktadır (Cohen, 2011). Dijital çağda, bu kavram özellikle sosyal medyanın yükselişiyle evrilmiş ve dijital utandırma olgusu, ahlaki paniğin çağdaş bir yansıması olarak ortaya çıkmıştır. ...
... Özellikle dijital medyanın geniş erişimi ve anlık etkileşim olanağı, suç olaylarının toplum üzerindeki etkilerini artırmaktadır. Stanley Cohen'in ahlaki panik teorisi, medyanın belirli olayları nasıl çarpıcı bir şekilde ele alarak, toplumsal bir korku ya da kaygı yaratabileceğini ortaya koymaktadır (Cohen, 2011). Dilan Polat gibi ünlü isimlerin medya tarafından yoğun şekilde ele alınması, bu şahısların toplum tarafından suç unsuru ya da toplumsal normların ihlalini temsil eden kişiler olarak algılanmasına yol açabilir. ...
EXTENDED ABSTRACT
The Sociology of Shame: From Tradition to Digital Age Social Control by Nuriye Çelik and Nadir Ateşoğlu examines the multifaceted role of shame as a potent tool for social control, tracing its evolution from traditional societal structures to the digital landscape of the 21st century. The authors explore how shame, historically rooted in maintaining social order and enforcing cultural norms, has been adapted and intensified through digital technologies. The work provides a critical framework for understanding the sociological, psychological, and political dimensions of shame in both past and present contexts.
Understanding Traditional Shame as Social Control
The first section, titled "The Custodian of Social Norms: Shame and Mechanisms of Control", offers a thorough exploration of shame's sociological underpinnings and its historical applications as a means of governing behavior. The authors engage with classical and contemporary sociological theories, particularly Michel Foucault’s concept of power and surveillance, to highlight how shame has been wielded by authorities to maintain societal order. Through detailed case studies, such as the persecution of “witches” in medieval Europe, the Cultural Revolution in Maoist China, Japan’s ingrained honor culture, and the enforcement of strict moral codes in contemporary Iran, the book illustrates the pervasive and adaptive nature of shame as a regulatory force.
These historical accounts serve to illuminate the coercive power of shame, demonstrating its ability to enforce compliance and marginalize dissenting voices. The authors question the ethical legitimacy of using shame as a moral guide, suggesting that while it fosters social conformity, it often suppresses individuality and perpetuates existing power hierarchies. This section also critiques the cultural and psychological effects of shame, probing its role in shaping individual identity and community dynamics. The analysis situates shame as a dual-edged phenomenon—capable of promoting ethical behavior but also serving as a weapon for social exclusion and oppression.
The Digital Transformation of Shame
The second section, "Digital Shaming in the Social Media Age: Mechanisms of Social Control", shifts focus to contemporary society, where digital platforms have redefined and magnified the impact of shame. The authors delve into how social media has become a breeding ground for public shaming, turning everyday individuals into global targets. This section draws on theories of media sociology and digital culture to examine the mechanisms through which digital shaming is propagated, such as viral outrage, meme culture, and the amplification of scandals. The concept of “cancel culture” is analyzed as a modern iteration of collective shaming, where public accountability can quickly devolve into punitive social control.
The book discusses the paradoxical nature of digital shaming: on one hand, it democratizes the ability to hold powerful individuals and institutions accountable; on the other, it fosters a culture of fear and conformity, where reputational damage can be immediate and irreparable. By examining instances of high-profile shaming events and their societal consequences, the authors reveal how digital shaming both challenges and reinforces dominant ideologies. The discussion includes an analysis of how marginalized groups can leverage digital platforms to combat systemic injustices, while also critiquing the potential for these same tools to perpetuate surveillance and regulate behavior in insidious ways.
Critical Reflections and Future Directions
The Sociology of Shame not only analyzes the evolution of shame but also engages critically with its implications for democratic society, individual freedom, and psychological well-being. The authors highlight the urgent need for a balanced approach to digital regulation that safeguards free expression while protecting individuals from the harms of public shaming. They advocate for educational initiatives that promote digital literacy and resilience, emphasizing the importance of equipping individuals with the skills to critically engage with media and resist coercive forms of social control.
The book invites further academic exploration in several key areas. One suggested avenue for future research is the psychological impact of digital shaming, particularly on vulnerable populations. Understanding the long-term effects on self-esteem, mental health, and social integration is crucial for developing effective interventions. Additionally, the authors call for interdisciplinary studies that bring together insights from sociology, psychology, media studies, and digital ethics to address the complexities of shame in the digital age.
Another significant area for exploration is the role of shame in contemporary political processes. The authors discuss how governments and political actors exploit digital platforms to enforce ideological conformity and suppress dissent. The increasing use of data-driven surveillance and algorithmic governance in shaping public opinion underscores the need for critical analysis of digital shaming practices as instruments of state and corporate power.
Conclusion
The Sociology of Shame makes a significant contribution to understanding how traditional and modern mechanisms of social control are intertwined through the enduring power of shame. By linking historical practices to contemporary digital phenomena, the authors provide a comprehensive framework for analyzing how power operates in both overt and subtle ways. The book serves as a vital resource for scholars in sociology, media studies, and political theory, as well as policymakers and practitioners interested in the ethical implications of digital communication. As societies navigate the complexities of the digital age, developing a nuanced understanding of shame and its consequences will be essential for fostering a more just and equitable social order.
... Solidarity is functional and rights cannot be taken for granted, eventually securitization processes allow rationalising and capitalising feelings of compassion, unease and insecurity. From one side, compassion represents a tool for practically managing and symbolically keeping distant disasters and instabilities (Pallister-Wilkins, 2020); from the other, moral panic (Cohen 1972) allows channelling social anxieties towards specific groups, often stimulating a reaction against the targeted population (forced migrants in this case). The latter concept has been investigated in relation with power, consensus and hegemony strategies (Hall et al. 1978) as well as with the response to risk societies' vulnerabilities (Garland 2009). ...
... Two concepts have been identified that may help understanding what the naturalization of social problems entails in both practical and theoretical terms. The first is the concept of moral panic (Cohen 1972); securitization promotes unease and uncertainty, feelings that are channelled towards target groups, in this case the undeserving refugee and the illegal migrant. This prompts the rise of exclusionary political identities (Wodak 2017), and allows institutions to enhance broader social control measures (Zetter 2007;Agier 2011), which can be defined as covert (or depoliticised) governmental technics. ...
... These contexts point to a series of factors, some new, some older, that have coincided (or to use Laplanche's term, that have been 'condensed') in recent decades. This is important because moral panics (Cohen 1972), like the one around 'gender ideology,' do not occur in a vacuum. It is instructive here to consider a social, legal and psychological figure, one that comes closest to being a form of absolute difference from humanness, the Monster (Sharpe 2010;ch. ...
... By 2022, this had risen to approximately, 7,500 mainly negative accounts (Trans Media and TransActual 2022, p. 5). Such deviancy amplification spirals are a well-known feature of moral panics (Cohen 1972;ch. 2), and they are amplified further by the syndicated nature of contemporary journalism. ...
This article is a review essay of Judith Butler’s latest book, Who’s Afraid of Gender? The book considers the anti-gender ideology movement and rising right-wing authoritarianism with which it is associated. In review considers the following key themes that Butler disusses: recognition of a contemporary crisis; the creation of a moral panic around gender; the complicity of ‘gender critical’ feminism in enabling anti-feminist totalitarian politics; the disingenuous figuration of ‘censorship’ as a weapon deployed by the forces of ‘gender ideology’; and the relationship of the phantom to colonialism and race.
... These fears have persisted up to the present day (Jensen, 2016;. New technologies often provoke strong emotions and anxiety, sometimes leading to what is referred to as moral panic -an exaggerated reaction to the media representation of a cultural phenomenon, often viewed academically as irrational (Cohen, 1972(Cohen, , 2011Leick, 2019). We acknowledge that interaction with screen media today differs significantly in quantity and quality compared to earlier screen technologies. ...
... These fears have persisted up to the present day (Jensen, 2016;. New technologies often provoke strong emotions and anxiety, sometimes leading to what is referred to as moral panic -an exaggerated reaction to the media representation of a cultural phenomenon, often viewed academically as irrational (Cohen, 1972(Cohen, , 2011Leick, 2019). We acknowledge that interaction with screen media today differs significantly in quantity and quality compared to earlier screen technologies. ...
This article critically engages with the concept of screen time. We explore the screen time recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and their application in the Swedish context. We also investigate the experiences and opinions on the recommendations and advice on screen time and screen media use in early childhood among parents of young children (0–3 yrs.) in Sweden. The study draws from qualitative semi-structured interviews during multiple home visits from a diverse sample of 16 families. Findings are discussed through the prism of the ‘moral economy’ of the household and the ‘social imaginaries’ underpinning this. We have identified two types of approaches to guidelines on screen time among parents, and based on our findings we recommend organizations in Sweden and beyond, to rethink and revise the current guidelines, including the WHO recommendations.
... Segundo sua entrevista para o documentário, a música "Homem na Estrada" (1993) "do dia pra noite deu uma pancada" (NETFLIX, 2022). Conforme Edi Rock, o som tocava em rádios que "não eram do circuito negro" (NETFLIX, 2022 (2020), o pânico moral para Cohen (1972) compõe "as práticas de produção de consenso e hegemonia", produzindo "senso comum" e gerando uma "ansiedade" pela "manutenção da ordem social" (p. 34)respaldando, consequentemente, as ações truculentas da polícia. ...
... Nessa conjuntura, o corpo preto é coletivo, estando desprovido de singularidade e sendo alvejado por conta da identidade racial. ocasionando reações de repulsa e menosprezo contra eles (COHEN, 1972). Sobre estes "efeitos reais", Stuart Hall pondera: ...
Diferenças entre juventudes são acentuadas em abordagens policiais quando se tratam de jovens negros. Tal truculência do Estado, em operações nas periferias, revelam efeitos do pânico moral. Assumindo a perspectiva teórica dos Estudos Culturais, significados são forjados no interior de uma determinada cultura, fornecendo ferramentas para a análise de acontecimentos que permeiam arenas culturais. Busca-se enunciar representações de juventudes negras e a denúncia das opressões na produção fílmica, do gênero documentário, Racionais: Das Ruas de São Paulo pro Mundo (2022), da diretora Juliana Vicente. Autores como: Hall (2016, 2002), Balestrin; Soares (2012) e Wortmann (2010) são centrais. A metodologia valeu-se da etnografia de tela, dando visibilidade ao lugar de fala em depoimentos e entrevistas do grupo musical de rap, Racionais MC’s. Os excertos evidenciam a promoção de discursos em torno de denúncia, protesto e resistência, expressos, sobretudo, pelas desigualdades em que vivem os jovens periféricos.
... A moral panic is characterized by widespread fear and concern that certain behaviors or groups pose a danger to the moral fabric of society (Cohen 2011) and is triggered by the emotional investment of individuals in the status quo, even when they are disadvantaged by it (Žižek 1989). The moral panic in this case was driven by underlying racial and class anxieties, with language becoming a proxy for broader concerns about social order, cultural identity, and relations between racialized groups (Wright 1998;Smitherman 2017). ...
... En lloc de centrar-se en els beneficis que l'ús de l'AAVE podria portar per a l'alumnat, la seua alfabetització i les seues perspectives en la societat, o fins i tot per a la seua capacitat d'adquirir l'anglés estàndard, la mesura es va plantejar com una amenaça a l'statu quo. El pànic moral es caracteritza per una por i inquietud generalitzades que es desencadenen per la idea que comportaments o grups determinats suposen un perill per al teixit moral de la societat (Cohen 2011), i per l'afecció emocional que els individus senten envers l'statu quo, tot i que aquest els perjudique (Žižek 1989). El pànic moral en aquest cas va ser impulsat per les ansietats racials i de classe subjacents, i la llengua es va convertir en un indicador d'interessos més amplis respecte a l'ordre social, la identitat cultural i les relacions entre grups racialitzats (Wright 1998;Smitherman 2017). ...
This article treats the concept of lawfare in relation to gender and ethnolinguistic identities, examining how legal systems are employed to perpetuate power imbalances and suppress marginalized communities. By focusing on various case studies and theoretical frameworks, the study explores the role of ideologies and how moral panic and moral injury manifest in legal responses to gender nonconforming individuals, women, and ethnolinguistic minorities. The article critiques how the law is weaponized as a tool of oppression, particularizing in areas such as language rights, gender equality, and access to justice. Through an interdisciplinary approach, the authors demonstrate how legal frameworks and institutional actions often reinforce societal norms that exclude vulnerable groups, rather than protecting them. As a framework to the special issue Gender and Ethnolinguistic Lawfare, this article offers a critical perspective on the relationship between law, identity, and power, contributing to a deeper understanding of how the rule of law perpetuates or challenges social hierarchies.
... Besides re-centring Europe and the West in the postcolonial imaginary, the dominant narratives of our time relieve them of all responsibility for establishing their supremacy through violence. Present European and Western constructions of the "We" and ideas of monstrosity and disaster will help me unpack how white anxieties (Hage, 1998(Hage, , 2003Yancy, 2012) and moral panic (Bhatia et al., 2018;Cohen, 1972;Giuliani et al., 2019;Graham, 2002;Hall et al., 1978) over the migrant "invasion", "terrorism" and the ultimate catastrophe once again reinscribe the supreme value of whiteness as the ideal standard. ...
My critique of the Anthropocene explores European and Western imaginaries of natural disaster, mass migration and terrorism through a postcolonial inquiry into modern conceptions of monstrosity and catastrophe. Established monstrous icons in popular visual culture and news media help trace the genealogy of modern fears of human/environmental catastrophe. Widely investigated in many fields, including art, literature, philosophy, history, cultural studies, and feminist and queer studies, monstrification in my analysis coincides with a historically produced discursive process that may reveal the relationship between the violence of the Anthropocene and its legitimation across time and space. Yet my inquiry does not stop at unveiling the inherent violence of the Anthropocene but goes on to propose a feminist, post-developmental and ecologist epistemology and a political project that embraces a new conception of the political.
... The tabloid press at the time lapped it up and firmly entrenched the discourse as part of an anti-multiculturalism agenda -a deeper reactionary political project intent on establishing the limits to equality. The so called "war on woke" builds on this long history of the Right's attempts to whip up a moral panic (Cohen, 2011) about left-wing "identity politics" by presenting it as a threat to the British way of life rather than the promotion of equal rights; framed as "political correctness gone too far" (Curran, Gaber and Petley, 2019) rather than the interrogation of systemic inequalities. The "war on woke" is another attempt to create an ideological enemy through processes of othering that distance and exclude the minoritized (Pickering, 2001), polarising issues and feeding off the long-term stigmatisation of particular social groups (Krzyżanowski, 2020). ...
This piece offers some reflections and discussion points on the articles published by Alan Finlayson and François Cusset in this special edition of Media Theory. I argue the need to be cautious of tendencies towards techno-centrism even when so many of our lives are dominated by digital mediations; for the need to remember and take account of the longer history and prevailing influence of legacy media; to ensure that in our focus on front-stage politics we do not miss emphasising a critique of back-stage power and the growing influence of elites; that we must recognise that the myth of the value of inequality is not totalising and that it is surely the role of critique to identify the sites of its exposure; and finally the pressing urgency of reclaiming the emancipatory powers of critique.
... Women's Studies International Forum 107 (2024) 103014 brought forward to split coalitions and gain political support by manufacturing a moral panic, where a person or group is defined as a threat to societal values and interests and presented as 'deviant' in a stylised and stereotypical way by the mass media, leading to overheated reactions by the police, conservative politicians and reactionary activist groups (Cohen, 2011;Goode & Ben-Yehuda, 2014). Hereby, securitarian rhetoric turns progressive policy proposals prioritising equality and justice into security problems by strategically depicting the demands for gender equality, women's empowerment, and various social rights as threats to traditional cultural values and society's integrity. ...
Anti-gender movements jeopardise the rights of minoritised groups including women and LGBTQ+ people. Examining the existing literature on anti-genderism and the context in Turkey, this paper relates neoliberal conservative social policies and anti-rights front to top-down masculinist entrenchment, mainly operationalising cultural intimacies. The paper examines the main beneficiaries of anti-genderism in Turkey, articulated into top-down masculinist entrenchment aligned with self-preservation, victimhood discourses and the performance of swashbuckling masculinity. Anti-gender politics mainly operate as part of a top-down social engineering project drawing on the logic of masculinist protection and their reception at the grassroots level is predicated on cultural intimacies forged through mutual recognition and reciprocal relationships, which also maintains hegemonic authoritarian political and neoliberal economic order. Although outright support for anti-genderism is still limited in society, the current majoritarian-authoritarian-securitarian political agenda might exacerbate this in future. Hence, we present a comprehensive analysis of how top-down anti-gender politics are negotiated through cultural intimacies in wider society.
... Produz-se, assim, um fenômeno que é denominado como pânico moral. Como demonstra Stanley Cohen (2002) já nos anos 1960/1970, em pesquisa na Inglaterra, uma das formas mais recorrentes desse pânico moral é associada justamente às práticas engendradas por grupos jovens, cujo comportamento é considerado desviante ou delinquente, sendo muitas vezes associado à violência. O pânico moral consiste numa reação exagerada a respeito de uma certa prática, sendo disseminado amplamente, sobretudo por meio das mídias e, atualmente, de forma mais acelerada e descentralizada, por meio das novas mídias. ...
O artigo discute uma trajetória de pesquisa no campo de estudos sobre juventude e cidade. A partir de uma experiência coletiva de pesquisa sobre jovens na metrópole paulista, realizada no Núcleo de Antropologia Urbana da USP, volta-se para contextos mais amplos da relação da juventude periférica com a cidade, desde a escola, até a práticas culturais como o funk e os rolezinhos em São Paulo. Dessa maneira, a relação juventude e periferia é enfatizada nessa trajetória, por meio da discussão da categoria êmica quebrada. Assim, de uma pesquisa focada na relação de jovens pixadores com a cidade, parte-se para a relação de jovens com as escolas de ensino médio, e dessas para o funk ostentação e seus desdobramentos nos eventos coletivos nos shopping centers paulistanos, denominados como rolezinhos. Conclui-se, a partir da reação exagerada e estigmatizante aos rolezinhos, que todas as práticas descritas no artigo, de alguma maneira, foram ou são objeto de pânico moral.
... Abbiamo dunque a che fare con una complessità e con diversi scenari che non sono inquadrabili e decifrabili tramite termini come "esodo di massa", "biblico", "esodo", "torrente" che attingono a paure, timori e processi di panico morale (Maneri, 2001;Cohen, 2011) su scenari futuri apocalittici di migrazioni epocali causate dai cambiamenti climatici. Questi frame non solo appiattiscono la complessità del discorso, ma appaiono orientati soprattutto a coloro che nel Nord globale sono già ostili ai migranti e rifugiati. ...
Questo non è solo un altro libro sull’Innovazione Sociale. Riguarda certamente le pratiche e i processi che generano innovazione, ma soprattutto rappresenta il tentativo di ampliare lo sguardo sull’interconnessione di tali pratiche e processi con quegli elementi che – direttamente o indirettamente – ne possono influenzare la progettazione, l’implementazione, la diffusione e la sostenibilità nel tempo. Parliamo, quindi, di (Eco)Sistemi di Innovazione Sociale e lo facciamo partendo proprio da una riflessione critica del termine “ecosistema”.
Il volume nasce a seguito del progetto SEED: Ecosistemi di Innovazione Sociale, (sostenuto da DG Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion della Commissione Europea) il cui obiettivo è stato sviluppare spazi pubblici e accessibili per valorizzare le risorse europee destinate all’innovazione sociale. Nel corso del progetto, l’Università di Bologna ha contribuito a realizzare un percorso di capacity building volto a supportare la comprensione e la diffusione degli ecosistemi di innovazione sociale. Così, in linea con le riflessioni ed esperienze condivise in quella sede, il libro propone un ragionamento sulle competenze - capacità, possibilità e potenzialità, degli attori e dei territori - che risultano favorevoli allo sviluppo di ecosistemi territoriali di innovazione sociale.
La varietà di tematiche, analizzate tramite molteplici approcci teorici e tecniche di ricerca, rende il libro ricco di spunti sia per l’analisi sociologica sia per il disegno politico e l’operatività dei settori che si occupano di rispondere alle sfide sociali e generare innovazione sociale.
... Abbiamo dunque a che fare con una complessità e con diversi scenari che non sono inquadrabili e decifrabili tramite termini come "esodo di massa", "biblico", "esodo", "torrente" che attingono a paure, timori e processi di panico morale (Maneri, 2001;Cohen, 2011) su scenari futuri apocalittici di migrazioni epocali causate dai cambiamenti climatici. Questi frame non solo appiattiscono la complessità del discorso, ma appaiono orientati soprattutto a coloro che nel Nord globale sono già ostili ai migranti e rifugiati. ...
Uno dei webinar del programma di capacity building del progetto SEED è stato dedicato nello specifico ai cittadini. Durante la sua preparazione, una delle persone coinvolte come contributrice ha detto: non c’è innovazione sociale senza cittadini. Ed è vero. Le pratiche che trovano poi riconoscimento come innovazione sociale sono spesso innescate dai cittadini. Ci sono vari modi per chiamare i loro iniziatori: gruppi informali, organizzazioni civiche, movimenti sociali, movimenti dal basso, e altri. All’opposto, quando una nuova pratica sociale è implementata da altri attori, più istituzionalizzati, diventa innovativa nel momento in cui risponde ai bisogni di una comunità e coinvolge la comunità stessa nella ricerca e nella produzione di una soluzione. Il risultato è che una pratica sociale per essere innovativa, deve coinvolgere i cittadini.
Ci concentriamo allora in questo capitolo sui cittadini e sul loro ruolo, partendo proprio dal concetto di cittadinanza, dal suo significato e dai suoi limiti. In questo modo, argomentiamo la nostra preferenza verso il concetto di azioni civica rispetto a quello di cittadinanza attiva. Per concludere e ragionare concretamente su un nuovo modello di azione civica, analizziamo lo studio di caso “Legami di Comunità” a Brindisi, dove un gruppo di cittadini ha dato vita a un’impresa di comunità.
... This was most certainly not the case, as the author enjoyed their company and the city-centre's pubs were either dead or closed for the night. Here, we see the assumptions on the part of the police and cashier that led to the local unemployed or underemployed 'street boys' being cast in the role of what Stanley Cohen [30] once termed folk devils within the context of a moral panic. It is unlikely that police attention would have occurred in this case had events played out in Nadi Town Centre or neighboring Martintar. ...
Noah’s Gang is or was a group of older Indigenous Fijian ‘street boys’ who interacted with tourists in Nadi Town, Fiji Islands, from around 2013 to the present. This chapter will describe their relations with mostly white tourists in Nadi and how power relations are constructed, changed and subverted via these interactions. The ‘hustler’ lifestyle provides opportunities and challenges, but a set of malleable and consistent values are observed rooted in Indigenous and Christian village culture mixed with reggae culture as imported into Fiji from Jamaica and adjusted to the local setting. People like Noah’s Gang have become unofficial Indigenous public faces, compared to the official public faces presented at tourist resorts. Hence, they provide almost a dark tourism experience for those they interact with, as well as a sense of danger and opportunity. In this chapter, we describe how they helped a white English tourist who had his luggage stolen and their interaction with a Polish woman who inquired about their black magic. If we view sustainability and experiential as going beyond the sanitized corporate experiences provided by the tourist resorts, we might see Noah’s Gang as rising to the occasion and providing us with some answers to these debates.
... A situation where a condition, episode, person, or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests. 20 ...
Background:
Scientists who communicate societally relevant information face challenging contexts in which misinformation, disinformation, hype, and spin are prevalent. As a result, they often face difficult decisions about how to frame their work in a socially responsible manner.
Objectives:
Drawing from the literature on science communication and framing, we identify tradeoffs that environmental health scientists face when deciding how to communicate their work, and we propose strategies for handling these tradeoffs. We use research on the human health effects of environmental endocrine disruptors as a case study to illustrate these challenges and strategies.
Discussion:
We examine four major frames (i.e., ways of packaging information that draw attention to facets of an issue or topic) in discussions of the effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on sexual and neural development and obesity. We show how these frames can be beneficial (e.g., focusing public attention on environmental health threats and promoting actions to address environmental pollution) while simultaneously having harmful effects (e.g., contributing to stigmatization of particular groups or the promotion of harmful political ideologies).
Conclusions:
Researchers who seek to responsibly communicate societally relevant work can employ several strategies to mitigate difficult tradeoffs, including a) striving for sensitivity to the social context and its relationship to their framing choices, b) choosing to avoid some frames, c) employing frames that alleviate ethical tensions, d) fostering education to alleviate harms, e) developing interdisciplinary and community collaborations, and f) working with institutions like scientific societies and journals to develop guidance on responsible communication practices. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP14527.
... Estas emociones negativas conducen al concepto de pánico moral acuñado por Cohen (1972) ...
En este trabajo partimos de la teoría de Fricker sobre la injusticia testimonial para analizar el fenómeno de la desinformación de género presente hoy en las noticias falsas. Entendemos que la desinformación de género cada vez más presente en el mundo virtual se explica como una reacción frente a los avances logrados por el feminismo y tiene como objetivo atacar y desacreditar al movimiento feminista a través del discurso del odio. Aplicando los conceptos desarrollados por Fricker en Injusticia epistémica, consideramos que el feminismo se enfrenta a una situación de injusticia testimonial sistemática que pone en cuestión su capacidad como sujeto de conocimiento y que resulta dañina tanto para el propio movimiento como para la sociedad en general. Analizado esto y visto que se trata de una estrategia que se ha utilizado en reiteradas ocasiones a lo largo de la historia, reflexionamos acerca de posibles formas de actuación que nos permitan salir de esta situación.
... The article blames "different identity groups" (Abbot et al., 2023, p. 3) for attacking science by seeking to replace scientific merit by identity criteria. This assertion fits the description of what Stanley Cohen first coined a 'moral panic' in his classic study of the Mods and Rockers, two British youth subcultures in the 1950s-1960s (Cohen, 1972). Cohen also invented a second original concept he coined the 'folk devil,' complementing his first inspired notion of a 'moral panic,' because if society were under threat, it would be necessary to find and blame the perpetrator(s). ...
This commentary responds to a perspective article by a group of 27 co-authors, most affiliated to universities in the USA, with a sprinkling of international others: two each from France and Germany; one each from the UK, Australia and New Zealand; and three listing dual-country affiliations to USA as well as Israel, Germany and Australia. The perspective article claims that science is in serious danger from the replacement of merit by identity as the basis for assessments in science education, hiring of scientists, and research funding decisions. Although stopping just short of saying this ‘is’ happening, its purpose is to issue a warning that the future of science is under threat, if such trends were to continue. Given its relevance to science and science education in Aotearoa New Zealand, it is important for us as Māori and non-Māori to understand the claims and arguments it makes. Below, I list and discuss its key ideas, summarise its scholarly flaws, and comment on its meta-level significance in context.
... (Halasa, 1992, p. 13) This characterization does not seem the sort of "first" that would become a centrepiece of Cleveland's popular music heritage (and Williams also notes that the band was performing widely at the time). In its aftermath, the concert was sensationalized in the press and local newspapers ran headlines such as "Moon Dog Madness" (Scott, 1982, p. 11D); foreshadowing later moral panics that exemplified media responses to youth music subcultures (Cohen, 1972). ...
This paper aims to explore, and reframe, the relations between rock ‘n’ roll, leisure, ‘race’ and youth in Cleveland, Ohio in the 1950s, utilizing archival research to question the heritagization of the city’s popular music histories. Specifically drawing upon accounts of radio broadcasting and vinyl records, we offer an archival study of Cleveland, Ohio, a city that claims to be the “birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll” and (since 1986) is the site of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. After contextualizing the 1950s, we conceptualize the recent archival (re)turn in socio-cultural research. Through this methodological lens we overview the special collections, documents and artefacts explored in fieldwork at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Library and Archives. Then, three counter-stories are presented toward decentring and demythologizing the canonical history of rock ‘n’ roll in Cleveland. Against this canonization, we “change the record” of histories of local radio broadcasting, record stores and eyewitness accounts from Cleveland’s black teenage audiences often absent from many authorized heritage discourses of early rock ‘n’ roll. In deconstructing myths of Cleveland’s musical past, the paper frames archival research as a critical, if under-utilized resource, in leisure research.
... From 2008, the economic crash provides the state with the justification for a shrinking of the welfare state, defined by Blyth (2013) as "dangerous nonsense." And from the late 1990s, the "asylum seeker" folk devil became the symbolic totem of longer-standing migration "crises," the label "refugee" becoming a term of abuse and even a proxy for racism (see Cohen, 2011;Philo, Briant, & Donald, 2013). ...
... Vezmeme-li v potaz Holého (2010) tezi o listopadovém převratu jako pokusu o opětovné spojení či smíření státu a národa, nepřekvapí nás, že se v českém polistopadovém politickém prostředí tak často objevuje rétorika, která definuje politiku v pojmech a kategoriích odpovídajících "národním zájmům", 38 35 Jde o termín folk devils (Cohen 2002 respektive v duchu, který by bylo možné povýtce označit jako "nacionalistický", 39 či lépe národněideologický. Lze tedy předpokládat, že protiislámská rétorika bude obsahovat právě tento prvek, že tedy kritika islámu bude zároveň obhajobou národní kulturní identity. ...
This paper is a case study of the criticism of Islam and Muslims in the Czech lands, as shown on the example of the Facebook page Islám v České republice nechceme (“We do not want Islam in the Czech Republic”). Even though the number of Muslims in the Czech Republic is relatively small (probably not exceeding 11,000 individuals), the topic of Islam and Muslims is widely discussed in the public sphere of the Czech society. This paper aims at answering the following questions connected to Islam entering public sphere: what is the context of criticism of Islam in the Czech society? What theoretical tools of social sciences can be applied in analysing, explaining and understanding this criticism of Islam in the Czech environment? The paper provides a brief analysis of posts on the Facebook page Islám v České republice nechceme. It describes and analyses the content and visual aspects of the posts. The administrators of the page are identified as “opinion leaders”. The role of opinion leaders is based on their involvement in a social categorical relationship shared with their followers, connected to the process of defining Czech national identity. This identity is formulated in contrast with “Islam” and “Muslims”. Their characteristics and values are generally presented as contradictory to “Czech cultural values”. The criticism of Islam is interpreted as a case of “moral panics”, and, for its connection to the process of defining Czech national identity, it is also endowed with considerable political potential. The criticism of Islam in the process of defining Czech national identity is connected to the imagery of Muslims in the collective memory of the Czech society.
... Abbiamo dunque a che fare con una complessità e con diversi scenari che non sono inquadrabili e decifrabili tramite termini come "esodo di massa", "biblico", "esodo", "torrente" che attingono a paure, timori e processi di panico morale (Maneri, 2001;Cohen, 2011) su scenari futuri apocalittici di migrazioni epocali causate dai cambiamenti climatici. Questi frame non solo appiattiscono la complessità del discorso, ma appaiono orientati soprattutto a coloro che nel Nord globale sono già ostili ai migranti e rifugiati. ...
Questo capitolo riflette in particolar modo sulla comunicazione dell’IS, ovvero sulla comunicazione di una pratica sociale diversa, di rottura, che potenzialmente può portare cambiamento sociale. Riteniamo, infatti, che la diffusione delle pratiche socialmente innovative attuate da singoli attori territoriali o da reti di essi sia fondamentale per contribuire alla formazione di ecosistemi sul territorio o alla conoscenza di un dato ecosistema e dei suoi progetti sociali in altri territori.
Questo tipo di comunicazione viene solitamente fatta dagli attori che generano una pratica socialmente innovativa, per diffondere quanto realizzato alla popolazione che eventualmente può beneficiarne o ad altri attori territoriali potenzialmente interessati a prendere spunto dal processo sotteso alla pratica o a mettersi in rete. Oppure può essere fatta da attori − comunque esperti del tema, ma esterni al progetto, che quindi lo osservano, lo analizzano e ne traggono considerazioni teoriche ed empiriche per la progressione della conoscenza sul tema. Parliamo, in questo caso, dell’attività scientifica di ricerca sociale.
Partendo dal motivo per cui è importante comunicare l’IS, nelle prossime sezioni, approfondiamo le caratteristiche e il ruolo della comunicazione sociale, da un lato, e della comunicazione della scienza sociale, dall’altro. Infine, nelle conclusioni, ragioniamo sull’utilità della comunicazione dell’IS per la formazione e riproduzione degli ecosistemi territoriali.
... Ta debata, według Orben, jest także cykliczna i -podobnie jak praca mitycznego Syzyfa -nie ma końca. Można ponadto wyróżnić cztery typowe dla niej etapy: Cohen (1972). Panika technologiczna w pewnym sensie byłaby więc szczególną odmianą paniki moralnej. ...
Artykuł stanowi próbę analizy trwającej współcześnie w Polsce (i na świecie) debaty dotyczącej praktyk medialnych młodych osób. Autor zauważa w nim, że zdecydowana większość publikacji poświęconych tej problematyce koncentruje się dziś przede wszystkim na zagrożeniach, pomijając pozytywne strony korzystania z mediów cyfrowych przez dzieci i młodzież. Tymczasem nadmierne skupienie się na negatywnych aspektach tego zjawiska może prowadzić do wielu przekłamań i w konsekwencji budować nie do końca adekwatny obraz współczesnej kultury cyfrowej. W związku z tym w mówieniu o praktykach medialnych młodych ludzi potrzebne jest dziś dużo bardziej zrównoważone podejście, uwzględniające całą różnorodność i złożoność zachowań podejmowanych przez nich każdego dnia w internecie.
This study explores the Potaxie, Fifes, and Tilinx subcultures on TikTok, examining their origins, characteristics, and cultural significance. Originating from a viral video in 2020, the Potaxie subculture emerged within the Spanish-speaking LGBTQ+ community and evolved to symbolise inclusivity and gender equality. Potaxies use vibrant aesthetics influenced by Japanese and Korean pop culture to express their identities and resistance. In contrast, Fifes, associated with cisgender heterosexual men, embody traditional patriarchal values, often sexist and homophobic, creating a narrative of resistance between the groups. The Tilinx, symbolic descendants of the Potaxies, are inspired by ballroom culture and drag houses, with "Potaxie mothers" continuing the fight for inclusion and diversity. Using a mixed-methods approach, including quantitative analysis through the TikTok API and qualitative content analysis via MAXQDA and Python, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of the subculture that accumulates over 2.3 billion interactions. The findings highlight how TikTok serves as a platform for identity construction, cultural resistance, and the redefinition of social norms. Additionally, the study examines how digital platforms mediate intersectional experiences, favouring certain types of content through algorithms, and how participants navigate these opportunities and constraints to express their intersecting identities. The implications for communication strategies, youth policies, educational plans, and research on the commercialization of these subcultures are profound, offering insights into the transformative potential of social media in shaping contemporary cultural and social narratives.
Women's hijab in Iran has become one of the most controversial social and political issues, especially in recent years, which is discussed and debated in scientific, political, public and media circles. The purpose of this study is to examine the reasons and solutions that the proponents of the hijab provide for the continuation of the obligation of the hijab and to deal with not wearing the hijab. To achieve this aim, the theoretical framework of moral panic has been used. Moral panic is the process of arousing social concern about an issue through the actions of moral entrepreneurs and the mass media. This qualitative study was conducted using the method of content analysis based on analogy. Texts including speeches, notes and interviews that were published on the websites of official news agencies in Iran from September 2022 to July 2024 were selected and analyzed. The findings showed that the moral entrepreneurs perceive women's non-compliance with the hijab law as a threat to the family, socio-cultural system, political system, and religion, and construct women without hijab as folk devils, who create such threats to the social order. Finally, they demand to control women's clothing in two hard and soft ways. After the September 2022 protests, the moral panic based on elite-engineered model to control women's clothing has peaked and based on that control measures have also been intensified. But it seems that it has not been able to find social acceptance and the result has been the intensification of the conflict and confrontation between the government and women who are trying to gain the right to make autonomous decisions about her own dress.
With the rapid advancement of technology, it is essential to understand the psychological, ethical, and technical challenges associated with the dissemination of mis- and disinformation. These include the increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) to spread information more rapidly, the deployment of disinformation campaigns to sway public opinion, and the influence of misinformation on making poor health choices. The aim of this chapter is to critically analyse the impact that the spread of mid- and disinformation has on society. Furthermore, the chapter offers recommendations to mitigate these challenges, including strategies to build resistance against misinformation.
Due to growing public concerns regarding the consequences of disinformation and conspiracy theories, major tech companies have introduced policies to curtail them on their platforms. Until now, the academic debate has largely focused on whether these punitive policies are effective. In this study, we address the question of how de-platformed ‘conspiracy theorists’ themselves experience and deal with such socio-technological exclusion. Drawing on seminal theories in the symbolic interactionist tradition, we conceptualize conspiracy theories as stigmatized ‘knowledge’ and empirically study the ways that conspiracy theory producers manage their stigma after de-platforming. Particularly, we draw on an analysis of 22 in-depth, qualitative interviews, ethnographic observations with (former) conspiracy YouTubers and a digital ethnography. Our findings demonstrate that YouTubers respond to de-platforming by emphasizing the ‘silver linings’ of their exclusion and by accommodating, bypassing and reframing their ‘stigma’. De-platforming contributes to their legitimacy in the face of their audiences and enables them to carve out space to cultivate a new, stronger form of conspiracy capital and status. This study contributes to the literature on conspiracy theories from a cultural sociological perspective. It advances our understanding of how de-platforming may backfire, strengthening people’s beliefs and standing within their subculture.
This article explores contemporary and scholarly perspectives on coffee bars in Britain in the 1950s and 1960s, with a particular focus on themes in the modern history of youth. In the immediate postwar decades, young people in Britain were described as simultaneously angry and apathetic, active troublemakers and passive consumers. Young people's use and abuse of leisure time often grounded these contradictory typologies, and coffee bars attracted particular concern. The consumption of coffee was not new in Britain, but this article focuses on heightened anxieties about the association of coffee bars with unsupervised teen sociability, foreign cultures, the ‘Americanization’ of British culture, and the erosion of ‘community’ after Second World War. A closer examination of coffee bars demonstrates both their significance in contemporary debates about young people and their many connections to recent historical analysis of youth in the postwar period.
This study was inspired by the researcher's undergraduate thesis (Keegan, 2018) where children's perspectives on Marvel and DC Comic heroes and villains were analysed. This research looks to take a different angle by using children's drawings to understand how children's understanding of stereotypes influences their thinking, both directly in their art work as well as in society. Semi-structured interviews were used in order to give children maximum freedom and time to express their ideas. One visual chart of various Marvel and DC Comic characters was used alongside the children's original drawings in order to compare and contrast their understanding of gender, race and sexuality themes. Results indicated that children are influenced by stereotypes presented in superhero media, such as gender, race and sexuality themes. Heroes reflected the child's own gender and skin colour suggesting they relate to superhero characters when designed, while villains were more likely to have darker skin and to be male. Furthermore, this research discovered that children of ages five years to twelve years have the capacity to express deep insight into complex superhero themes and storylines with adult support. This research was a key example of why children's research needs to be conducted with children as co-researchers with an opinion to express, rather than creating research that talks on their behalf. Therefore, this study demonstrates that superhero themed play should be embraced more openly to inspire children to voice their own views in a child-friendly manner. Difficult and complex areas such as gender, race and sexuality themes can be explored safely by young children through superhero play and for our society, we need future generations to embrace diversity, not fear it.
This study explores the evolution of the Chinese Lolita fashion online communities. The inception of Lolita fashion in China began in the early 2000s and Lolita dressing culture has gained popularity with the development of digital media. We draw on 53 qualitative interviews, alongside ethnographic research, to understand Lolita participants’ perception of Lolita dressing culture and their experience with the Lolita online communities. We critique existing studies that classify Lolita dressing practice as a fashion or popular culture, and we argue that Chinese Lolita participants identify Lolita fashion participation as a subculture, with evidence of community building and identity construction involving rebellion against mainstream culture. This inquiry into the dynamics of digitally mediated communities formed by dedicated Lolita participants uncovers the evolution of Lolita online communities which exhibit a three-type typology: cohesive community, loose community and deconstructed community. We further critique the existing definitions and understanding of online communities. We argue that components such as a sense of belonging, alongside clear boundaries and rules, should still be integral to the definition of online communities. Lolita participants persistently desire a cohesive online community to attain a sense of belonging and to exhibit their subcultural identity.
Purpose: This paper aims to analyze the core emotional and motivational factors influencing serial killers, particularly examining the role of traumatic childhood experiences and psychological disorders in the development of violent tendencies. The study seeks to enhance the understanding of the psychological profiles of serial killers, ultimately providing insights that can inform ethical judicial strategies for identifying and preventing serial homicides. Methodology: A qualitative approach is employed, utilizing psychological, behavioral, and developmental models to comprehensively map the psychological profiles of serial killers. Case studies are examined, emphasizing how early trauma and psychological disorders shape behavior. A comparative analysis investigates key emotional motives and patterns, focusing on the correlation between traumatic experiences and recurrent violent behaviors. Additionally, clinical assessments and available case data are utilized to identify common patterns and individual variations in psychological disorders. Findings: The analysis indicates that a combination of early traumas, psychological disorders, and emotional patterns, such as impulsivity, lack of empathy, and aggression, significantly prevails among serial killers. Traumatic childhood experiences not only shape individual behavior but also play a crucial role in the development of violent tendencies and complex psychological disorders. The interconnection between emotional factors and psychological disorders enables a deeper understanding of the psychological profiles of serial killers, aiding researchers and practitioners in grasping the mechanisms that drive such behavior. The analysis of specific cases reveals a correlation between traumatic experiences and criminal behavior, suggesting that emotional patterns, such as the desire for power and revenge, often reflect internal conflicts or deep-seated trauma. These findings illuminate the complex relationship between emotional dynamics and criminal behavior, providing important insights that can enhance judicial strategies. Understanding these psychological aspects can assist in the development of more effective identification and intervention methods, contributing to an ethical approach in working with individuals who have committed serious crimes. Unique Contributions To Theory, Practice and Policy: This study makes several unique contributions to the fields of psychology and criminology by integrating the understanding of early trauma, psychological disorders, and emotional patterns into the analysis of serial killers' motivations. Theoretically, it expands existing frameworks by emphasizing the interplay of these factors, thereby enriching our comprehension of criminal behavior. In practice, the findings provide valuable insights for law enforcement and mental health professionals, highlighting the importance of a nuanced understanding of the psychological profiles of serial killers. This knowledge can inform more effective investigative techniques and interventions aimed at preventing serial homicides. Policy-wise, the recommendations advocate for the incorporation of these insights into judicial strategies, fostering ethical identification and prevention measures that consider the psychological and sociocultural contexts of serial offenders. By bridging the gap between theory and practice, this study aims to contribute to more informed decision-making processes within the criminal justice system, ultimately enhancing the safety and well-being of communities.
QAnon and the propagation of conspiracy theories among followers of Donald Trump have led media to claim that they are “brainwashed” and part of a “cult.” This chapter, which focuses on the United States but also proposes international comparisons, analyzes both an earlier Christian “counter-cult” movement, which criticized certain minority religions through the century-old theological model of “heresy,” and the more recent secular “anti-cult” movement, which is not interested in theology but claims that “cults” harm society and their followers by using a dangerous technique of persuasion called “brainwashing.” The chapter then discusses how theories of “brainwashing” were rejected as pseudo-scientific in the United States by both scholars of new religious movements and courts of law. However, they are still accepted in other countries, such as France, Japan, and Argentina. They also remain present in popular culture and media assessments of controversial minorities, including in the United States. Understanding them requires a sociological analysis investigating the root social causes of the fear of minorities that appear as new and “strange,” which generates hostility, opposition, and calls for restrictive laws. It also demonstrated that the question of freedom of religion or belief has an intrinsic sociological dimension.
This chapter offers a detailed examination of moral emotional expressions in online news media during Hungary’s 2022 general election campaign, focusing on guilt, shame, pride, and hubris. Analysing popular web-based news portals, the study reveals dynamics and content characteristics between February 1 and April 2, 2022. Online news portals play a crucial role in Hungary’s media landscape, often reflecting ideological biases and government pressures. The analysis of 10,916 sampled news items indicates that 16% connect moral emotions to the election campaign. The chapter explores factors influencing the dissemination of moral emotional coverage, such as political leaning, distribution channels, and geographic scope. It discusses the media’s role in moral politics and concludes by examining how online media shape public discussions and assign responsibility in political life through moral emotional elicitation.
Artykuł dotyczy językowego wyrażania niechęci wobec dzieci w internecie. Autorka analizuje za pomocą lingwistyki dyskursu wypowiedzi z incydentalnej strony na Facebooku Nie lubię dzieci jako namiastkę i ilustrację problemu. Swoiste studium przypadku stanowi punkt wyjścia do rozważań nad wyrażaniem niechęci do dzieci w kontekście takich pojęć, jak: panika moralna, normalizacja niegrzeczności i bezwstydu oraz dyskryminacja. Autorka postrzega otwarte wyrażanie niechęci jako zagrożenie dla integralności społeczeństwa.
La mémoire est aujourd’hui instrumentalisée par l’extrême droite, y compris quand il s’agit de la mémoire de la Shoah, ce qui est nouveau et paradoxal, en même temps que par des groupes identitaires se revendiquant d’extrême gauche mais dérivant vers l’extrême droite. Au même moment, l’État défend une mémoire patrimoniale qui flirte avec le nationalisme. Parallèlement, il néglige les mémoires de l’esclavage et de la colonisation, mais aussi les mémoires ouvrières et populaires, ce qui engendre de nombreuses tensions dans la société civile. Cette situation favorise la guerre des mémoires et la montée d’identités fermées, qui menacent potentiellement la démocratie.
Robust regulatory scrutiny is an unavoidable and necessary part of professional life for public sector professionals. Inspection and investigation can lead to poor mental health for individuals already working under pressure owing to increased workload and anticipation of poor outcomes. Although good regulation maintains standards and provides accountability to government and the public, regulators must face their obligation to understand the wider impact of their practices on the mental health of those they evaluate. This article discusses how regulation affects public sector culture and the potential risks and negative impact of regulatory practices and highlights how clinicians, working in occupational practice, are well placed to recognise ‘regulatory stress’ among public sector workers and offer vital support, guidance and advocacy.
This chapter explores some of the key themes that will be covered and analysed in this volume. McNeil will firstly analyse the complexity of the relationship between mental health and crime. Secondly, the stigmatisation and labelling of people with mental health problems will be explored. It will be argued by McNeil that this is largely perpetuated by the majority of mass media and social media representations, which distort the public’s perceptions of those suffering from mental health problems as being more ‘dangerous’ and a greater ‘risk’ both to themselves and the public’s safety (leading to moral panics). Thirdly, a large body of research has also shown that people with mental health problems are far more likely to be victims of crime than perpetrators, suffering repeated victimisation.
The abstract for this document is available on CSA Illumina.To view the Abstract, click the Abstract button above the document title.
The abstract for this document is available on CSA Illumina.To view the Abstract, click the Abstract button above the document title.
The abstract for this document is available on CSA Illumina.To view the Abstract, click the Abstract button above the document title.
A review of the way extreme forms of violence develop reveals that it involves a three-stage process of escala tion from initial support by the public for mild violence by a special group, through support for this special group for extreme forms of violence, to the actual practice of the ex treme forms by a small number of people who enjoy it. This paradigm of the development of violence is applied to crowds, to the police, and to the concentration camp.
This is a report of a study of children at Redfern Central Primary School, a State school in an economically depressed area of the inner City of Sydney. The children are studied in a cultural framework and are classified into strata defined as Aboriginal, Migrant and Australian. The subjects are assessed on socio-cultural variables of family and household structure and geographical mobility by means of a structured interview schedule which is administered to each child. Measures of the academic achievement of the subjects are obtained. It is considered that the three cultural groups defined are distinct both on the socio-cultural variables studied by the interview and in their academic performance. It is considered that the sociocultural variables and academic achievement are related in that cultural factors of some children may be discrepant with the norms of the school giving rise to cultural gap which is manifested by a depression of functioning in the school situation. Specifically cultural factors appear to operate to prevent the IQ test from being an effective measure of intelligence.
The writer analyzes the records of an example of mass hysteria in a small Illinois town. One woman's hysterical report of being gassed and paralyzed at night led to heightened suggestibility of many others. Most victims were women of slightly below average social status. A surge of telephone calls to the police, reporting prowlers and 'gassers,' was followed by an abnormal decrease in calls to the police after the attacks were judged to be imaginary. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
The assertion that newspaper reporting of suicidal behavior precipitates suicide among suggestible readers was examined. The rates of suicide during periods of complete cessation of newspaper publishing in seven major cities were compared with the mean rates for the same calendar periods of the prior five years in each city. The sign test and signed-rank test revealed no significant change during the experimental periods. In one area (the island of Oahu) a significant change was noted in the direction contrary to the hypothesis tested.
The author agrees with others who have considered this question that whatever deleterious effect newspapers may exert on their readers stems more from the implied and expressed attitudes and value system than from news content.
Amphetamine analysis was carried out on urine specimens obtained from 69 boys and 26 girls on admission to two London remand homes. The results are compared with those of a similar study made five years earlier; the reasons for the decreased incidence of positives are discussed and the presence of a higher proportion of `malignant' users is noted. This finding is discussed in relation to other published surveys, and it is suggested that future studies must take notice of both cultural trends and personality factors.