Moral panic
Stanley Cohen's concept describing media-generated exaggerated fear about certain groups or deviance, often directed at youth subcultures or minorities, creating negative stereotypes and policy responses.
Real World
In 2011, UK media coverage of 'feral youth' following the London riots portrayed an entire generation as criminally deviant, triggering emergency parliamentary sessions and calls for water cannons — a textbook moral panic with young people cast as folk devils.
Exam Focus
When asked to 'evaluate' moral panic theory, always include a counter-argument: not all media scares are disproportionate.
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