This thesis explores the phenomenon of moral panics in American society, focusing on three cases: the automatic knife panic in the 1950s, the migrant caravan panic in 2018, and the LGBTQ+ "groomer" panic in 2022. Utilizing Stanley Cohen’s concept of moral pan- ics, expanded by David Garland and Goode, the research aims to understand the origins, amplification of risks, perceived threats, and socio-political consequences of these moral panics. The methodology involves content, narrative, and discourse analysis of legislative acts, academic literature, and contemporary media coverage. Findings reveal that interest groups, namely media and political figures, significantly contribute to constructing and am- plifying moral panics. Exaggerated perception of risks to society, either through false claim-making or cultural trauma, drove a moral panic in each of these cases, leading to increased social control through legislation and the stigmatization and discrimination of minority groups.This research contributes to ongoing efforts to combat prejudice and social injustice by shedding light on the societal ramifications of moral panic. It underscores the need for further investigation into the motivations of interest groups to spread moral panics and strategies for preventing their occurrence in a globalised media landscape. The study opens discussions on media manipulation and human rights.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:mau-69487 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Karastanchev, Vasil |
| Publisher | Malmö universitet, Institutionen för globala politiska studier (GPS) |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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