Historical Case Study

1. Discuss Stan Cohen's ideas. Define what is meant by a moral panic & deviance amplification.

A moral panic is the intensity of feeling expressing in a population about an issue that appears to threaten the social oder. Mass media help us understand the social order. Give us ideas about the deviant people. Those deviant groups were labeled by Stanley Cohen in 1972 as Folk Devils.

2.Clockwork Orange (1971)

  1. Discuss the background to the film

"In future Britain, charismatic delinquent Alex DeLarge is jailed and volunteers for an experimental aversion therapy developed by the government in an effort to solve society's crime problem... but not all goes to plan." The film features violent imagery. It has led to copycat crimes and this is shown in the way teenagers want to have own identity. 

  2. How was the film reported by the press and how did the youths of the time relate to the film?

Moral panic was created by the press about the effect the film had on groups of teenagers and encouraging societal deviance. Sensationalist headlines reporting incidence of violence (deviance amplification) due to the film. Although after looking into the crimes and the suspects, it was found that teenagers had not even seen the film and the crimes were not due to the film. 

  3. How can Stan Cohen's theory can be related to this film?

The film shows that crimes happen and people would separate themselves in gangs because of having loyalty to your friends which make them commit these crimes. The film also shows a subculture which is expressed as a deviant society and their crimes have such important because they go against the main cultural ideology.

3.Quadrophenia (1979)

  1. Discuss the representation and ideological values of Jimmy, Steph and Kevin. Use textual examples to back up your point made.

The main character Jimmy is represented as Mod gang and through his actions and his dedication in as part of the gang shows that group identity is really important,"got to be part of a gang, haven't you got a mind of your own". Although by the end of the film he takes it too seriously and discovers that these values have little meaning and his identity is compromised. In the toilet room scene we saw a perfect example of binary opposites at the general time when the adults were expressed as smartly dressed, well mannered while at the same time we saw Jimmy throwing up in the sink because drinking last night. The social differences are shown throw how the older adults completely ignore the teenager and mind their own business.

Steph is shown to be very feminine compared to other androgynous mods and throughout the film by having many male companions, sexual freedom is shown.

  2. What examples of mise en scene reinforce the idea of youth culture?

In the film youth culture was represented through the use of drugs and alcohol and it created a picture which put everyone in the same category as the youths we saw in the film. During house parties everyone had completely changed because of the music being played and this shows huge influences on youth from music at the time, similarly the same is still similar today. When we see the adults being around youths, the response is that the adults have power and they consider youths as rebellious as a whole.

  3. What ideologies are present within the film?

From the point of view of Jimmy his ideology was being as part of a gang and by the end of the film when he saw members of his group having a good side, he was not able to cope with the pressure. Not having to care for others and just having fun was considered as the thing to be doing because it was a way to rebell against the grown ups.

  4. How can Stan Cohen's theory be related to this film?

The idea from the film is trying to find your identity when Jimmy spent all of his efforts in being rebellious against the law and trying to fit into the group with clothing and whole way he presents himself, although Stan Cohen idea says that identity is not given like Jimmy though he could become someone by being in a gang, but identity is constructed by people's influences and is negotiated.

Finally: Conclude by discussing how these films and ideologies may reinforce or reflect similar moral panics in the media today.

Mass media discribes today's youths as a whole as bad and rebellious characters although they ignore the good side of people  and because of this people are persuaded into thinking that all youths are bad and could even be considered as a threat to society.