Tagged: Labelling Theory

Social Psychology & Lifecourse / Sociology of Law, Crime and Deviance

‘Hoodies or Altar Boys?’

by paulabowles Recent research commissioned by the group Women in Journalism has looked at the portrayal of teenage boys in the press. By analysing both national and regional papers, the research team hoped to gain some insight into the representation of youth by the British media. Perhaps, unsurprisingly the overarching theme was one of negativity, with labels such as ‘yob’, ‘thug’, ‘feral’, ‘scum’ and louts cropping up again and again. The only exception to this representation appears to have been...

Political & Economic Sociology / Sociology of Law, Crime and Deviance

Child Poverty: The Breeding Ground for ‘Feral, Parasitic Yob[s]’?

by paulabowles The recent horrific death of Baby P, at the hands of family members, has raised many critical questions for Britain, not least the way in which we care for our children. Most recently, the Chief Executive of children’s charity Barnardo’s, Martin Narey, has expressed his shock both at the toddler’s tragic death, and the events which led up to it. At a lecture focusing on child poverty, Mr Narey took the opportunity to make an astounding prediction that...