Cohen's Moral Panic Theory

Cohen states that the Moral Panic Theory is a condition in which a person or group of people are said to be a threat to society. The threat mainly concerns people in power such as the government, politicians or the media. The theory gets its name from the threat causing a panic amongst the public which turns them into villains in the media. The media refers to these groups as 'folk devils' and makes the public want the government to take charge and control of these groups. An example of this is hooliganism in football with fan firms often being frowned upon and feared by the public due to how they are represented in the media with films such as 'Green Street' and 'The Football Factory'. The BBFC in the UK classifies movies depending on their evil in the media with things such as certificates - 12, 15, 18 etc. Another example of this is how the media such as newspapers have turned the majority of the British public against the likes of immigrants and Muslims because of how they are presented.