A CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF 21ST CENTURY SOCIAL ISSUES AND ANXIETIES

We live in a world that is increasingly characterised as full of risk, danger and threat. Every day a new social issue emerges to assail our sensibilities and consciences. Whether we are academics, researchers, policy makers, welfare practitioners or simply members of the public, we feel paralysed as to know how to respond; we do not know what to do and whom to trust.

This seminar series, sponsored by the UK’s Economic Social and Research Council (ESRC) is examining some 21st century social issues and anxieties through the concept of moral panic, first brought to public attention 40 years ago in Cohen's influential study, 'Folk Devils and Moral Panics'.

The seminar series is bringing together academics, policy makers, practitioners, journalists and service users to debate and discuss the place of moral panics in policy and practice today at events in Edinburgh (November 2012), Bath (May 2013) and November (Cardiff 2013). At the same time, the idea of moral panics is being explored through press articles, social media (Twitter and blogs) and journal publications throughout the lifetime of the series. See http://www.crfr.ac.uk/events/moralpanic/index.html