Darkness, death and distortion : a sociological examination of moral panic theory and the Gothic subculture

Abstract

Stanley Cohen (1972) put forth the concept of the "moral panic" to address how British society reacted to a series of skirmishes that took place between the "Mods" and "Rockers" at various English seaside resorts during the mid-1960s. Since Cohen's Folk Devils and Moral Panics: the Creation of the Mods and Rockers was first published, moral panic theory has been employed and developed in different directions to examine a variety of social issues. Mugging (Hall et al 1978), ritual child abuse (Hill and Barnett 1994), flag burning (Welch 2000), and high school violence (Killingbeck 2001) are just some of the topics that have been analysed by way of moral panic theory. Using a number of case studies that specifically concern the "gothic" subculture, this thesis investigates whether the ideas that have informed "moral panic studies" (Thompson 1998: ix) are still relevant to sociologists and other social researchers in the early twenty-first century. While it will be demonstrated that some of the older perspectives associated with this body of work are still extremely useful, the thesis argues that new theoretical frameworks are needed if moral panic theory is to remain a profitable and necessary concept. This thesis subsequently introduces a variety of new and important ideas to the field of moral panic studies. They include a "revengist reaction" model, the concept of the "panic space" and a "folk devil reaction" model, and represent a bold attempt by the author of this thesis to update moral panic theory "to fit the refractions of multi-mediated social worlds" (Cohen 2002: xxxi). In addition to giving moral panic theory a substantial makeover, this study provides some new observations about the gothic subculture. Issues revolving around thorny subjects such as subcultural authenticity and exploitation are explored, as are questions pertaining to age, youth and media representation. Finally this thesis recognizes how subcultural theory is currently experiencing a major challenge by a "newly designated field" that David Muggleton and Rupert Weinzierl (2003: 1-2) have termed "post-subcultural" studies.