Moral Panics: Social Construction of Deviance

This wide-ranging account of "moral panics" shows how and why institutions and groups of individuals mobilize around issues and supposed problems by which they feel threatened. From the Renaissance witch craze to the American drug panic of the 1980s, the authors explore the genesis, dynamics, and demise of moral panics - and examine their impacts on the societies in which they take place. Moral Panics is not only the first, serious book-length treatment of a fascinating subject, but also a superb introduction to wider themes in the sociology of deviance and social problems.

Review: "Moral Panics is sure to become a classic in the literature of deviance and criminology. It reviews in a critical and informative manner the core concepts of the discipline, taking an international focus. It returns the study of criminology and deviance back to its sociological roots by highlighting the social reaction and construction of crime and deviance. Its readability makes it ideal for use by both undergraduate and graduate students." Simon Singer, University of Buffalo "Moral Panics is remarkable in its scope and accomplishments. It develops a distinctively sociological account of the rise, demise and institutionalization of moral panics and is especially important for the insight it provides into recurring American panics about drugs." John Hagan, University of Toronto