Topic 6: The role of the media in youth subcultures

Cohen (Folk Devils)

Cohen's research focused on a 1964 violent clash between two youth subcultures on a beach in England. Although property damage was minimal, sensationalist articles referred to the event as a "riot" and "day of terror." He identified three stages in media reporting on folk devils: symbolisation, exaggeration, and prediction.

Alexander (Folk Devils)

Asian youth have become the "New Asian Folk Devil," with stereotypes of Muslim boys changing from passive to aggressive, risking radicalization due to media exaggeration of terrorism or riot involvement.

Fawbert (Folk Devils)

Found that hoodies became a popular term to describe young people involved in crime in the 2000s. In 2004, only one UK newspaper article used the term to describe thugs. In 2005, Tony Blair banned hoodies in shopping centres, making them a symbol of mischief. Hoodies became a folk devil symbol, causing sales to soar because young people wanted to upset authority. Most hoodie-wearing youths aren't criminals; media creates folk devil symbol.

Cohen (Moral Panics)

Cohen's term "moral panic" refers to media reporting causing public anxiety about a social group being portrayed as a "folk devil," leading authorities to control and discipline them. However, media concern often outweighs actual threats, as seen in Cohen's study of "Mods and Rockers."

Hall (Moral Panics)

Stuart Hall, a Neo-Marxist, argues that moral panics in the early 1970s were used by the ruling class as an ideological function to divert blame and focus on mugging, turning the White working-class against the Black working-class, focusing on increased policing and scapegoating the black working-class.

Young (Moral Panics)

Young's 1971 study, 'The Drugtakers,' demonstrates how a moral panic leads to a deviancy amplification spiral. The hippies, a law-abiding sub-culture in Notting Hill, became part of a moral panic, becoming a master status. This led to societal hostility towards the hippies, making drug-use a central part of their identity. As media coverage increased, the relationship between the hippies and the police became increasingly distrustful, leading to a 'crime wave'.

Wilkins (Deviancy Amplification Spiral)

States that deviancy amplification occurs when minor deviance escalates into criminal deviance due to control agencies like police and mass media. This leads to newsworthy stories and a pattern, making the behaviour seem cool or socially acceptable, encouraging more people to engage in criminal activities.

Murphy (Deviancy Amplification Spiral)

Argues that media encouraged violence at football games by glorifying hooliganism through league tables and fearing opposition. Evidence suggests that papers contributed to the spiral by instilling fear of the opposition. A Chelsea fan who carried a razor said in his defence that he had “real in a local newspaper that the West Ham lot were going to cause trouble”.

Evaluation (McRobbie & Thornton)

Found that "folk devils" are no longer marginalized due to media pluralism and larger accessible content. There’s an opportunity to fight back against those trying to stigmatize them. However, these representations often fail to develop into full-blown moral panics as audiences move on to new stories.

Evaluation (Kitzinger)

Sociologists over estimate the power of the media. Audiences do not automatically accept what they consume and questions the ability the media has to influence behaviour or perception of others.

Evaluation (Durkheim)

Degradation ceremonies served to reinforce social norms. Media often publicises when people are arrested and punished in order to discourage others from doing the same. Deviant behaviour is unlikely to spiral because of the risk of punishment.