Costelloe-KuehnCommentMemo10-12Nate

"Hall (1978)⁠ later extended the concept of moral panic to describe a mechanism by which the state masks crises of capitalism, and the subsequent broadening of state authority, allowing elites to maintain power." This reminds me of Naomi Klein's "shock doctrine" and the Situationists (Guy Debord etc.) concept of the society of the "spectacle."

You probably already have, but I'd talk to Nancy about moral panics around illegal drug and the figration of the "addict" and the discursive work this figure performs.

"Goode & Ben-Yehuda (1994)⁠ incorporated social movement literature into their discussion of moral panic, framing moral panics as a tool used by grassroots organizations to gain media attention." Interesting. For some reason I automatically think of moral panics as a tool of those in power, not "the resistance."

"Through framing issues as a dichotomy between good and evil, such groups sensationalize potential social problems, feeding into moral panics." This type of essentializing, reductive strategy reminds me a bit of "strategic essentialism" (Spivak? Essay in "technicolor"). Are these reductive strategies engaged in a double-bind? Are hey a bit like Frodo's ring?

"...why Americans fear that which, in comparison to more significant threats, is relatively harmless." I immediately thought of "bioterrorism." Check out Lakoff's essay "The Generic Biothreat: How we Became Unprepared" (and others that we read for the sci fi class last semester, if you're interested.) The Critical Art Ensemble has also done performance pieces on the hype around bioterrorism.

"Best (1999)⁠ argues that through the act of naming incidents of crime, the media constructs instances of a growing trend." This made me think of Foucault. Since you mentioned Foucault in the "foodholds" section, as I read it: In The History of Sexuality, he writes about the way "deviant" sexuality was "named" and the effects. He contests the common sense notion that talking about sex has been suppressed (and, thus, talking about sex is associated with "resistance" and "liberation"). Instead he writes about the ways discourses on sex proliferated and the "incitement to discourse" is associated with surveillance (he uses the figure of the confessional), a multiplying and intensification of expertise (power is distributed, capillarily), and "sexuality" is managed.