The Creation Of Mods And Rockers

The Creation Of Mods And Rockers In the 1960s, as well as today, the highest incidence of violent and property crime is among the poor and unemployed, specifically the super-exploited sectors of the working class (Downes and Rock, 2007: p. 241). What is the reason behind this? Both the Mods and the Rockers were mainly working class. Cohen mean that because these youth groups were mainly working class and that meant that they had less opportunities than them of higher class, they also were not seen to have any specific talents and they did not have any money. Cohen (2009) states that since the Mods and Rockers did not have any social contacts, except for themselves, in society they had to create their own activities which them to take part in deviance. Cohen focuses on the systematic demonising and scapegoating of the Mods and Rockers. Mass media portrayed the two youth groups as animals on several occasions. This demonology of the Mods and Rockers lead to them being seen and referred to as folk devils. Cohen explains further that the youth groups were explained in the mass media as bored, arrogant and they were portrayed as enjoying the situations in several British holiday resorts (Cohen, 2009). Cohen writes that mass medias role in the moral panic is massive. According to Cohen is manufactured news not uncommon, the mass media is both exaggerating and misleading. When reading this book it feels like Cohen thinks that the mass media is guilty of both misreporting and disorienting the readers. He states that the media presentation or Inventory of the Mods and Rockers event is crucial in determining the later stages of the reaction (Cohen, 2009: p. 18). Therefore he was concerned that most of the media coverage was too stereotypical to be true (Cohen, 2009: p. 18). One example of this is: all the dance halls near the seafront were smashed when every local resident knows that there is only one dance hall near the front (Cohen, 2009: p. 19). The methodologies that Cohen uses are interviews, observations and documentary sources. In 1965 interviews were held with the local community (e.g. shopkeepers and taxi drivers), people on holidays and editors of the newspapers. The documentary sources came from both local and national newspapers. The theory that Cohen uses throughout the book is the symbolic interactionism. He presents a number of theorists and their adaptations of the symbolic interactionism, such as; the transactional approach to deviance (Becken), the primary and secondary deviance (Lemert), the deviancy amplification theory (Ditton) and the dramaturgical analogy by Gottman. The two, to me, most outstanding theories are Beckens and Lemerts. The first one concentrates on media as a creator of labels that leads to an increased deviance. Cohen explains this as a vicious circle; deviance leads to a public reaction and that creates more deviance and that leads to more public reaction. Lemert in his turn mean that the public reaction to the primary reaction might lead to a secondary, increased, deviance. Cohen puts weight on that primary deviance does not necessarily lead to secondary deviance; (Cohen, 2009: p. ooo). The four aspects of the symbolic interactionism do all play a part in the different disaster phases in the Disaster Research. These phases are closely described in the book and are as follows: 1. The Initial Problem; in this case working class youth. 2. Excessive fringe delinquency the youth made their own fun because they did not have much else to do. 3. Social reaction the mass media starts to write about their behaviour. 4. Operation of control culture the police and the courts starts to get involved. 5. Increased deviance the social control leads to even more deviance. Cohen proves this theory in the book because when reading it you can clearly see the truth in it with help of the information that he provides the reader. Folk Devils and Moral Panics is convincing and the majority of theories provided by it are good sociology because they are undoubtedly flexible and therefore it can be used on a number of different situations involving folk devils and moral panics. But, as stated in Mc Robbie and Thornton (1995); as the mass media expands more and more and there is not only journalists that can make their voices widely heard maybe folk devils are not going to be created as fast as before. Today anyone can put their opinions out there and debate because of the development and spreading of internet. In a wider spectrum demonising might not occur as easily as before, because more individuals and groups can influence the process of judging and stereotyping (McRobbie and Thornton, 1995). In McRobbies and Thorntons more recent work of sociology they argue that Cohen acknowledges that social control is uneven and much less mechanistic than the model of deviancy amplification suggests (McRobbie and Thornton, 1995: p. 561). They also state that: it is now time that every stage in the process of constructing a moral panic, as well as the social relations which support it, should be revised (McRobbie and Thornton, 1995: p. 559). So perhaps this means that there is no more folk devils, at least not in groups: We argue that folk devils are less marginalized than they once were; they not only find themselves vociferously and articulately supported in the same mass media that castigates them, but their interests are also defended by their own niche and micro-media (McRobbie and Thornton, 1995: p. 559). I definitely think that this book is good sociological imagination because it links individuals to the more social societal situations and events. To use sociological imagination an ability to see the relationship between private lives and society is important, as well as being critical and think one step further. I think that Cohen does exactly this. When the reasons behind the deviant behaviour of the Mods and Rockers are discussed, Cohen takes the history, both of the deviant youth and the British society overall, into account. Cohen explains the historical circumstances so that the sociology of media and deviance can easily be understood. In fact, he dedicated the entire last chapter (6) to this. Cohen also presents several micro/macro studies, such as the Mods and Rockers in relation to the mass media and the societal situation in the coast cities that was covered in the media. Other examples, covered in this book, and looked on at from a micro versus macro perspective are: Muslim terrorists, paedophiles, suspicious asylum seekers and troublesome young people, so called hoodies. These are all perceived as deviant in the media, they are also seen as deviant by the society (Cohen, 2009). In this way, this text clearly explains the links between micro and macro levels described in this book. Cohen is connecting personal troubles with social issues in a very manageable way. C. Wright Mills writes that so be able to completely understand the sociological imagination you need to be able to see both personal troubles and societal issues and the relationship between these; troubles occur within the character of the individual (Mills, 1959: p. 8) and issues are a public matter (Mills, 1959: p. 8). This book is seen as a classic and important work of sociology because it is timeless. Cohen is focusing on the Mods and Rockers, but his thoughts and the sociological theories that he discusses can be applied to a range of different crimes, situations and panics in our society. Folk Devils and Moral Panics can for instance explain the controversy around more recent societal events such as the escalating immigration, the fear of terrorism and the growing Islamophobia after the terrorist attacks in 2001. Therefore, Cohen has written a classic piece of sociology that it is original and probably not like many other sociological pieces because of its width (McRobbie and Thornton, 1995: p. 561). The example of Mods and Rockers show us that stereotyping, prejudice and labelling often creates situations that are worse than the original situation. The argument is clearly that social control and social reaction strengthens deviance, like a vicious circle. The book allows us to see how media affects us and that is important. McRobbie and Thornton (1995) write that it will always be up to date because it is a study of deviance and mass media that will always be a part of any society. Referencing in the text Cohen?

Australian Federalism

This essay will outline the issues discussed during the ‘Policy Roundtable on Federalism’ hosted by the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia (ASSA) and the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) on the 17–18 May 2007 and will explore their impact on federalism and provide possible steps to overcome them. The Roundtable discussion made it apparent that Australian federalism is dysfunctional and needed shaping up. The reasons included a combination of external and internal factors and pressures. The pragmatic reform process could address these factors and pressures to improve Commonwealth-State relations. This could achieve enhanced policy outcomes for the Australian community and provide a system of government that â€Å"delivers the Australian people the opportunities they deserve† (Brumby 2008). David Black (1998) describes federalism as ‘the process by which the Commonwealth of Australia was formed on 1 January 1901, was unusual then, and still is†. The federal system has provided a relatively stable cooperative form of government, however, changing demographics, global pressures and fiscal situations within government have meant that the system is now seen as being in a malaise and in need of repair (Wanna 2007). The modernisation and globalisation of markets, media and communication has eroded regional identities in Australia. In the past the Australian states were protected from a centralised form of federalism but as modern technology reduced the physical distance institutional barriers were decreased. These global pressures mean that Australian states risk becoming agent providers for a central government (Wanna 2007: page). Increased activity has resulted in hyper-interaction involving all three levels of government. Additionally, lack of cultural regions in Australia unlike most other federations meant lack of regionally based governance system (Wanna 2007: 276). Australia retains a highly centralised fiscal system, holds a high amount of concurrent powers across all levels of government and lacks institutional barriers that prevent a centralised system. Fiscal imbalance between states and the Commonwealth impacts directly at a regional level even though policies are driven nationally. Concurrent Commonwealth-State powers also impact at regional level due to lack of adequate attention given to real impacts while decisions are made at federal level. The reduced effectiveness of federalism has contributed towards these issues and has failed to keep pace with modern times. It is now in need of repair to make it more efficient and capable of providing support to the modern Australian public. Current federal arrangements are holding back necessary micro-economic reform while there is a continuous struggle to respond to global economic forces. (Podger 2008). Although federalism can work it is not performing at the level expected. Participants at the Roundtable agreed that the process of reform can improve federalism but needs a different policy approach. Individual agreements on shared responsibilities will be needed to reshape policy areas. Increased cooperation and collaboration around national and state issues would need to be achieved. Participants started by looking at improving the generic architecture by enhancing the primary cooperation of levels of government through the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). This could be the platform for any further detailed reform in order to avoid policy making failures around shared responsibility between governments. It is also important to note that the attendees agreed reform would need to start from the current position and not echoing any previous attempts. The Australian federal system is characterised by a significant level of vertical fiscal imbalance and this issue would need to be addressed to assist in reforming federalism. The Commonwealth holds the monopoly on tax revenue from income and GST and much of this is paid back to the states by way of Specific Purpose Payments (SPPs). These SPPs allow the Commonwealth to grant funds to states with conditions in areas that are constitutionally the states’ domain. As SPPs make up 40 % of Commonwealth grants the streamlining of these with a focus on outcomes would allow increased efficiency. In addition, guaranteed revenue would allow states to fund their responsibilities without central pressures. Whilst this imbalance could be reduced by assigning state expenditure responsibilities to the Commonwealth, it is an unrealistic expectation to reduce such a significant imbalance. (Carling, 2008: page/s) Clearly defined roles and responsibilities for the different levels of government is essential, as Carling (2008: page) states, â€Å"A federal system needs to be ?rmly anchored to a rational allocation of roles and responsibilities for the different levels of government† Lack of clearly defined roles can cause duplication of processes and conflict in policy making, giving states the opportunity to avoid accountability. A review of roles and responsibilities is a logical starting point, with the functional roles of Commonwealth and the state’ clearly defined. This may require that the Commonwealth takes a leadership role to ensure states are able to effectively deliver services. It is important to understand that the distribution of responsibilities between the levels Government has evolved aver time, and will presumably continue to change as policy and political imperatives require. (Podger 2008) Collaboration between governments to deliver long term sustainable national solutions is needed to face the significant social, economic and environmental challenges. Recently, all three levels of government have become receptive towards the idea of cooperative federalism. For effective federation architecture of cooperation consisting components such as principles to guide, supporting legal and institutional arrangements and appropriate cultural practices and attitudes are required. Focus could be on formalisation of COAG through intergovernmental agreement, clarification of COAG and ministerial council relation, ongoing review of federal financial relations and development of cultural practices to support the best of federalism. The change offers opportunities to make lasting improvements and Australian governments should seize the opportunity towards delivering effective national responses and generating substantial benefits for Australians. (Wanna, J. May 2009) Although the Australian federal system is perceived as declining and in need of reshaping, Australia is a prosperous nation. Federalism has seen Australia through times of significant stress including depression and war, and has led to the development of a welfare state. Rapid globalisation and modernisation demands that federalism adapt and adjust to meet competing demands. The options outlined in this essay provide the extending steps for already happening improvements by an ambitious government.

Mockingbird Characters in “To Kill a Mockingbird” Essay

There are many different â€Å"mockingbird† characters in Harper Lee’s classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Early on in the novel, Atticus tells his children to â€Å"shoot all the blue jays that you want, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird† (Lee 103). He says this because mockingbirds are known to be harmless creatures that do nothing but sing joyously. Lee cleverly uses this mockingbird imagery to title her classic novel and to describe characters that are kind, innocent people and have done nothing wrong, but are destroyed by the society around them. The first â€Å"mockingbird† in this novel is Boo Radley. At the beginning of the story, Boo is a strange and mysterious person to both Jem and Scout. Because he is unknown and not very well understood, they suppose that he is a monster, along with most of the people in Maycomb. They make up unfair, gruesome stories and accusations about him because he is never seen or heard. As the story progresses, one learns that Boo is a kind man who acts as a type of father figure to the children leaving them gifts in a knothole outside his home and repairing Jem’s pants after he is shot at by Nathan Radley. He does not voluntarily stay locked up in his house, but is kept there almost as a prisoner by Nathan. At the end of the novel, Boo shows that he is very brave by saving the children’s lives by killing their attacker Bob Ewell. It is decided by Maycomb’s sheriff, Mr. Heck Tate, that nobody would tell about this murder because if they did it would be â€Å"like ki lling a mockingbird† because Boo is so shy and reclusive, never harming a soul until it is necessary (Lee 317) The character of Tom Robinson is that of yet another cruelly treated â€Å"mockingbird†. The title of the novel refers most specifically to his character in the fact that Tom is an innocent man, who is â€Å"killed† only because he is black. He is accused of raping a young white girl in a town full of prejudice and hatred towards Negroes. In his testimony he states that he feels compelled to help the young girl with her chores, and when she approaches him, he decides to run instead of pushing her away. This shows his gentile, sympathetic nature and that he is a true â€Å"mockingbird† character. The all white jury, though, cannot look past the color of his skin, and when he is accused of the offense and sent to a prison camp, he  attempts to escape, but fails because of his crippled left arm and is shot. Mr. Underwood compares his death to â€Å"the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children† (Lee 275). This again relates to the mockingbird title by showing Tom’s good natured character and willingness to provide pleasure for others being destroyed by the narrow minded citizens of Maycomb. Boo and Tom Robinson are both misunderstood by the people of Maycomb. They are both innocent songbirds who have different lifestyles than the others in their community, and since others don’t know them for who they truly are, they are unjustly treated. These characters were not punished for wrong doings, but for being different from the normal. Had the people of Maycomb taken the time to get to know and understand these citizens better, they might not have had to â€Å"kill† any â€Å"mockingbirds†, thus showing the significance of Lee’s properly placed title.

Technology History Of Computers - 1924 Words

Carlo Sorvillo Daphine Ethington English IV 22 October 2015 Technology: History of Computers Computers have taking a huge chunk of our everyday lives. If it be using a smartphone or any other type of technology. Computers have influenced a revolution in the way we live. But it was not always like this, before computers became a necessity, very few people had them in their houses. Only the people that could afford these big clunks of metal had them. As time would go by and technology grew a computer would find a home in everyone’s household. The history of computers is a vast ocean of events that happened to make computers user friendly to where young children can even use computers. We going to learn about the history of computers and how it has become such a big part of our everyday life. Starting off with the first computer to then newest in technology. After the history of computers is the hardware the make the computer and how the technology has dramatically changed over the recent years. Explaining the importance of hardware in computer, such as CPU, MOTHERBOARD , GPU and, HDD (Hard Disk Drive). Software will be the final and last topic to learn about. Going over Microsoft Windows and Apples iOS . Computers have just broke the tip of the sword and are getting bigger every year. From being humongous calculators to handheld computers. Who knows what the future holds for computers, but we know it’s going to be huge. The first computer was actually an audio oscillator,Show MoreRelatedThe History and Technology of the Computer in the Nineteenth Century1590 Words   |  7 PagesIn our fast pace society, technology is ever changing. This has ultimately resulted in technology always being at our fingertips. 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