Case Study 1 16

Moral Panic in Oakland

Moral panics are about locating evildoers, establishing the poisonous

influence and iniquity of their actions, and rectifying the damage

they’ve inflicted on the rest of us. The skeptic is challenged to

understand what moral panics tell us about the inner workings of the

society in which we live.

Goode (2008: 39)

How to Build a Moral Panic

Moral panic is a key concept in sociology, media and communication
studies, where it is used to describe a certain kind of group or communal
behavior. In the simplest terms, a moral panic starts when a community of
people become aware of an event or person or group which may pose a
threat to societal values and interests (Cohen 2002 [1972]; Critcher 2006;
Goode and Ben-Yehuda 2009). Individuals who take up the cause – agents
or actors who accelerate the process – are referred to as moral
entrepreneurs or crusaders. Agents must be in a strong position socially to
generate public awareness and to focus that awareness on a scapegoat or
“folk devil.” Institutions can also act as moral entrepreneurs, so that the
information media, entertainment media, schools, politicians and
corporations (some or all of these) may be involved in the birth,

acceleration and lifespan of a moral panic.^1
It is crucial to remember that the object at the center of any panic is
standing in for some larger social conflict which may be too controversial

to raise directly.^2 One example of a recurring panic here in the U.S. has to
do with dog breeds that are considered aggressive. For example, in the
1970s many communities banned Doberman pinschers, and more recently
pit bull terriers have caused panics.