How Helpful Is the Concept of Moral Panic in Understanding Recent Media Coverage of Muslims - Essay Example

?Running head: THE USEFULNESS OF THE CONCEPT OF MORAL PANIC IN UNDERSTANDING RECENT MEDIA COVERAGE OF MUSLIMS The usefulness of the concept of moral panic in understanding recent media coverage of Muslims Insert name Insert grade course Insert instructor’s name April 18, 2011. Outline Introduction A critical analysis of the concept of moral panic An analysis of the aspect Media coverage on Muslims Moral Panics and Violence in the Media Analyzing the Understanding of recent media coverage of Muslims How significant the concept of moral panic is in understanding recent media coverage of Muslims Conclusion The usefulness of the concept of moral panic in understanding recent media coverage of Muslims Introduction The concept of Moral panic has long gained popularity in its utilization to sensitize the public on occurring fatal issues. The main instrument utilized in the promotion of moral panic concept is the media, which helps in sensitizing the public about the issues that are likely to threaten the society. The current society has embraced media due to its comprehensive coverage of the enormously emerging societal issues. Media has also been a tool for causing violence due to arguments emerging from reactions of particular groups’ exposure in regards to their unacceptable actions. The recent media coverage has really been in focus of Muslim society, which has allegedly become a causal agent of worldly violence. For instance, terrorism activities have dominated parts of nations in the recent decades because of Muslims’ violent activities engagement. Muslims are a religious community found in almost all parts of the world. The long-term objectives of every religious group are to influence the world and take pre-eminence in regards to religion, economy, politics, and social aspects. This is the long-term reason for their engagement in terrorist activities, especially the Muslims. This factor leads to the recent excessive media coverage of the Muslim society. Moreover, the recent decades have seen researchers, academicians and scholars gaining enthusiasm and interest in the study of why media coverage on Muslim is so outstanding among others coverages (Allen and Seaton, 1999). The discussion in this paper investigates the analysis of how helpful moral panic is enhancing the understanding of the recent media coverage of Muslim. A critical analysis of the concept of moral panic The feelings generated from intense expression of an issue considered a social threat constitutes moral panic. The concept of moral panic is considered essential in enhancing processes of societal sensitization in moral issues. It also entails the creation of awareness in regards to challenges that threaten social order, as well as the acceptable virtues in the society, and are caused by deviant groups or individuals. Arguments and social tension becomes rationale for various controversies, where disagreements do not have room, since the society becomes a back-up tool for the proposed agendas. The main agent for the spread of moral panic is the media, owing to the recent technological developments in the adoption of integrated communication frameworks (Allen and Seaton, 1999). A cluster of characteristics is attributed to the concept of moral panic, which includes moral concern. This entails awareness creation to the society that the activities of a certain group are likely to cause societal disorder, leading to long-term negativity. Hostility is also increased in that, the society sees the deviant groups mentioned as folk devils that are not supposed to dwell among other people. Consensus is also an important feature since the infected society concedes in the aforementioned item of agenda that is anticipated to cause panic in the target society. However, the conceding groups do take action that is not tantamount to the real threat that is caused by the deviant groups. Disproportionality occurs in such a phenomenon, since the take of the issue is usually weighty to extents that are not in regards to the proximity of the deviant group’s action. Public interest wane or drastic change of topic by the media demonstrates the volatility of the moral panic, since their disappearance is as fast as their appearance. Purges and witch-hunts, for instance, in Europe and Pogroms in addition to sex trafficking and back masking are ample examples of moral panics that have dominated recently in the world. Moreover, drug abuse that has overtaken the current world as well as the satanic rituals that are widely known demonstrates actions that cause moral panic (Allen and Seaton, 1999). The aspect of moral panic is classified into three stages, which are inclusive of occurrence and signification - which is the first stage. This entails the identity of a social threat, with the media finding it as a source of societal drama expressed to the public in a manner that generates distinct reactions from the people. The second stage entails flames fanning, based on wider social implications, where the societal concerns, hostility, as well as consensus are manifested. The third stage entails the social actions that are taken as precautionary measures to safeguard the effects of the aforementioned threats. This is inclusive of law changes to support the prevention of further such threats (Jeffrey, 1998). An analysis of the aspect Media coverage on Muslims Media acts as an instrument for transfer of information from a source to a destination. The recent years have become agents in channeling information from a source to a receiver. The Muslim religion has also recently developed a point of focus in the media, where coverage mostly focuses on their activities. The awareness of such issues as moral panic in the societal context is created as a result of development of reliable media devices. Journalism creates a rationale for such comprehensions where media employees are entrusted with information collection activities that help in the identification of threats that target the entire community. Today, media has developed to consist of the most recently developed internet, for instance the iPhone products, internet, and face book, where any action of a deviant group can be easily spread to other entities within the shortest time possible. The characteristics of media include being solely updated on the current issues, thus any action of deviant groups is easily received by the public. A wide coverage is also a rationale for media coverage in media stations, where everybody dealing with information preference has to cover as a wide area as possible (Crowe, 2010). Media coverage on Muslims has developed an enthusiastic ambition on the researchers as well as academicians and scholars, owing to their recent involvement in terrorist activities. Most of the world terrorist activities have allegedly had their roots on Muslim groups solely organized to spread fatal threats on their neighboring societies. New debates have arisen due to the recent events that have taken place in the world - those that surround Muslims in the American continent. Analysts have recently presented their findings concerning the recent Nigeria attempt on terror, the Fort Hood attacks, and the connection of Somali with Minnesota in the terror networks. The Muslim religion has long been connected to the rampant criminal activities that have significance in the disorientation of the social disorders. Their connection with the 9/11 attack that caused great losses of life and property recently is a clear indication of criminal acts of religious people (Crowe, 2010). The popular Al-Qaida in the leadership of Osama bin laden provides a rationale for understanding better the association of Muslims with criminal activities. The communication of such overwhelming incidences to the worldly people has been a source of moral panic to the entire public. The public goes out to concede and get concerned with the significant issues that social media identifies as social threats due to the rampant rise of the terrorist groups as well as the deviant groups. The so-called information baptism is also an activity for the target society by the media, where the information received is often not tantamount to the source information. Social action becomes the final action, where legislation or any form of a precautionary measure can be taken to ensure that the society is protected from any assault (Crowe, 2010). Moral Panics and Violence in the Media Moral panic has acted as a rationale for major violence sentiments that occur in the media. Violence is the act of opinions contradictions among distinct individuals. Arguments arise whenever media is involved in the creation of awareness of the existence of deviant groups that are likely to cause social disorder. For instance, the occurrence of the 9/11 American attack was very overwhelming, but one Muslim was found in defence of his fellow Muslims in the denial that Muslims were involved in the attacks. The internet is becoming very useful in the spread of terrorism activities in the recent years, where one can communicate with another person in any part of the entire globe. This has recently been utilizable in the enhancement of the understanding of the recent media coverage on Muslims. The violent moments also occur due to the opinionnation of distinct people in the target society. In addition, different media provide distinct information, which sometimes creates societal stigma where nobody presents a true picture of the exact occurrence (Salgado-Pottier, 2008). Moral panics have long caused overwhelming fear in the society; legislation transitions are made which are oppressive to the society under all costs. Some pronounced family and neighbor conflicts have also found a resting ground due to the emergence of moral panics that render tremendous arguments among individuals. Some of these have led to tribal discontentment and neighbours have ended up in chaotic situations. For instance, following an attempt of the Nigerian attack, a Muslim representative stood up against the suspected people who conducted the attack, solely denying such events. Acquaintances that are close to such people in the workplace and residence can easily be lured into reacting extraordinarily and cause violence, when the moral panic splendor is so massive. The extremes into which media goes while alerting the society on moral panics is also a rationale in causing violence, including tribal clashes in an inclusive society (Salgado-Pottier, 2008). Analyzing the Understanding of recent media coverage of Muslims Personality determines an individual take on life, interaction as well as the general societal issues. The recent media coverage on Muslims has received distinct treatments in the society, owing to their distinct nature. The Muslims themselves embrace their culture, believes as well as their ambitions, whether meant for selfish or non-selfish gains. Most of the societies in almost all continents have developed a pessimistic stance due to the exaggeration concerning deviant activities that have recently taken place in the world. Regardless of how true it is that the recent great losses of lives are attached to Muslims violence, the contemporary society creates a sense of hostility towards the Muslims. Their comprehension that is based on the dramatization created by media about terrorism attacks summarizes that a Muslim acquaintance must be involved. The general take is also that Muslims have a violent personality, to an extent that no great interactions should occur between Muslims and non-Muslims. However, positive takes of Muslims are also evident, owing to their heart of successful business operations as recent media reveals explain. The entire community has also had it that the Muslims commitment to their faith and their enthusiastic overcoming nature is extraordinary, the reason for their success in penetrating the world. These understandings have been ideally enhanced by the utilization of moral panic by the media in the recent years (Rane, Ewart, and Abdalla, 2010). How significant the concept of moral panic is in understanding recent media coverage of Muslims The concept of moral panic plays a pivotal role in creating the understanding of recent media coverage of Muslims. The media has really focused on covering the Muslim community in making the contemporary society understand their culture, political agendas, as well as their social set up. Muslims are an exceptional religious group whose political, social and cultural aspects are quite thrilling. Their reservations in all aspects of life surpass those of any other community. However, their presence is felt all over the world, since their opportunism and ambitious attitudes have rendered them competitive enough to penetrate in the global context. This has created interest in the journalists as well as media-people in their urge to present detailed information concerning the Muslims (Rane, Ewart, and Abdalla, 2010). Moral panic becomes a useful tool in the enhancement of the comprehension Muslims reserved nature. Their religion is totally distinct from all others, which is also pursued through violence. It is in their belief that torrelance of awful unbelief or violation with the set religion rules should lead to moral punishment. The moral panic presented to the entire society concerning this religious practices have created a temporal attitude to the community who view it as constituting of odd practices. This has also been a cause for the rise of distinct opinions in the social take of Muslims. The identification and significance of this as presented by media has been a source of great concern concerning the Muslims. The media demonstration of Muslim image in the religious context has also long caused conflicts violence between Muslims and non-Muslims as well as the political participants (Rane, Ewart and Abdalla, 2010) The comprehension of the Muslim’s assimilate nature has been revealed via media utilization of moral panic. The feelings imparted on the general society about the penetration goals of Muslims have been quite overwhelming. Their character is portrayed as that of anticipating assimilating as many people as possible in their occupational areas in order that they may adopt their faith as well as their heart of conducting social activities. Moral panic develops to extents that hinder freedom in the societal interactions with Muslims. The presentation of this nature in the media especially the internet usage has created tremendous fear among people and whenever Muslims are spotted, a domination attitude overtakes them due to the fear of assimilation of their people and the establishment of strong bases that would later lead to violence. They are at all times viewed as victims of violence (Cheney, May and Munshi, 2010). The moral panics have been utilized in the presentation of the recent terrorism activities that are solely attributed to the Muslims. The 9/11 bombing in America’s United States proved evidence that Muslims must be very unmerciful, inhuman, and deviant. The people that were involved were a Muslim group, Al-Qaida, which had planned the attack on America as revenge. The media solely expressed the Muslims as vengeful people, which has made the public understand this community as risky to live with. The Nigerian terrorist attack suspects were also members of the same community, in addition to the attack of Fort Hood. The persecution activities ongoing in Somalia everyday are also as a result of Muslim inhuman activities and are attributed to merciless killings of the innocent in their residential areas. The media therefore cannot hesitate to present the Muslims in a bad image to the society. The fact that long time in history has seen the Muslims anticipate dominating other religions and to overtake the world to be a Muslim world has expressly been presented via moral panic 9Odartey-Wellington, 2009). Media coverage has also utilized moral panic to develop a take of the Muslims as financially and economically successful people. They are associated with wealth and excellence due to their optimistic nature. Their commitment when handling their religious, political, economical, social, and cultural values has overwhelmed a majority. Televisions, radio stations, and internet blogs present the Muslims as economical threats in their areas of occupation, owing to their hardworking nature. This has also acted as a rationale for the economical improvements in fear of it being triumphed by the Muslims due to moral panic presented by media. Their comprehension as political threats has made it possible for countries to develop moral panic in electing Muslim leaders to eradicate political domination (Cheney, May and Munshi, 2010). Conclusion The recent years have seen the usefulness of moral panic by media in the enhancement of the understanding of recent media coverage of Muslims. Media coverage is also an instrument for transformation of crucial information, a field that has developed in the recent years in terms of new devices acquirement. The understanding of Muslims has received both a positive and a negative take in the contemporary society. However, the media should lay new strategies that would enhance the understanding of societal issues in true manners, rather than creating moral panic that creates hostility and other negative impacts, especially in promoting the understanding recent media coverage of Muslims. Reference List Allen, T. and Seaton, J., 1999. The media of conflict: war reporting and representations of ethnic violence. NY: Zed Books. Cheney, G., May, S. and Munshi, D., 2010. Handbook of Communication Ethics. NY: Taylor & Francis. Crowe, S., 2010. Lifting the Veil: Examining the portrayal of Muslim men and women in Western media. Minor Murmurs and Revolutionary Rambles. (Online). Available from, http://samcrowe.posterous.com/lifting-the-veil-examining-the-portrayal-of-m (accessed April 22, 2011). Jeffrey, S., 1998. Moral panics and the social construction of deviant behavior: a theory and application to the case of ritual child abuse. Sociological Perspectives. (Online). 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