Moral Panic

Abstract

The concept of a moral panic has been used to describe a situation in which an inordinate amount of concern and attention is rather suddenly focused upon some particular behavior, condition, or social group that is perceived as a threat to the interests or values of society. This article traces the origins of the concept, provides historical and contemporary examples of moral panics, discusses the major criticisms and contributions to the study of moral panics over the past few decades, and finally outlines several of the current key directions in which the study of moral panics is moving.