A (Macro) Sociology of Fear?

Abstract

A proper sociological approach to fear is of both empirical and theoretical significance in understanding late modern society. Normally fear has been explored psychologically, as one of the emotions, but recently a sociology of emotions has begun to emerge. Furthermore, there have also been attempts to examine fear macroscopically, arguing for the existence of a distinctive 'culture of fear' in contemporary societies. Furedi's argument to this effect is explored here, suggesting the need for a more systematic theorising of fear in its social contexts. Via an analysis of the elementary characteristics of fear, a model is constructed of the 'parameters of fear'. This model serves as a guide to the classes of phenomena within which fear is constituted and negotiated. It is also used to further examine the virtues and failings of 'culture of fear' approaches to fearfulness in modern societies.In the office in which I work there are five people of whom I am afraid. Each of these five people is afraid of four people (excluding overlaps), for a total of twenty, and each of these twenty people is afraid of six people, making a total of one hundred and twenty people who are feared by at least one person. Each of these one hundred and twenty people is afraid of the other one hundred and nineteen, and all of these one hundred and forty-five people are afraid of the twelve men at the top who helped found and build the company and now own and direct it.Joseph Heller, Something HappenedHow are we to understand fear? As Heller's ironic but pertinent observations suggest, fearfulness in varying degrees is part of the very fabric of everyday social relations. Any sociology, therefore, must find ways of conceptualising fear and examining its social causes and consequences. More than that, if we are to believe countless television, radio and newspaper discussions of food scares, medical risks, security failings, urban disorder and looming environmental disasters, that need is pressing. Fearfulness appears to have become a way of life in modern society. Many of us -or so we are told -are afraid to go out on the streets of our towns, at night certainly, but even during daylight hours as well. Yet staying at home carries its own threats: a whole industry manufacturing alarms, locks and surveillance mechanisms has been founded on our conviction that our homes are wide open to dangerous intruders. We

La medición del miedo al delito a través de los barómetros del CIS

“…La segunda razón es que permite explorar la problematización del delito en el contexto: por un lado, de la llamada sociedad del miedo (Furedi, 1997;Glassner, 1999) y, por otro lado, de la sociedad del riesgo (Beck, 1992). Siguiendo un esquema similar al planteado por Tudor (2008), Hollway y Jefferson (1997) explican que, aunque la manera específi ca en que cada persona usa el discurso del miedo al delito tiene que ver con su propia experiencia vital, todos esos usos tienen algo en común: se llevan a cabo en un contexto social de miedos, inseguridades y falta de certezas. Por lo tanto, descontextualizar la problematización del delito de las demás problemáticas sería un error conceptual enorme.…”

“…The second reason is that it makes it possible to explore the problematisation of crime in context: on the one hand, the so-called society of fear (Furedi, 1997;Glassner, 1999) and, on the other hand, that of risk society (Beck, 1992). Following a similar proposal made by Tudor (2008), Hollway and Jefferson (1997) explained that, although the specific way each person uses the discourse of fear of crime has to do with their own life experience, all those uses have something in common: they are carried out in a social context of fears, insecurities and lack of certainties. Therefore, decontextualising the problematisation of crime from other issues would be a huge misconception which, unlike the CIS measurements, victimisation surveys fall prone to.…”

HIV/Aids fear appeal advertisements directed at different market segments: Some considerations for corporate sponsors and NPO’s

“…Fear of contracting HIV thus seems to motivate actions, namely changing sexual behaviour, aimed at reducing these unpleasant emotions (Tanner, Hunt & Eppright, 1991;LaTour & Zahra, 1989). Fear also relates to risk-taking behaviour, as well as to protective sexual behaviour, which is now often addressed by social marketing efforts (Tudor, 2003). Various other advertising approaches are used, ranging from humor to self-idealization, but which still include the use of fear where an individual is warned that if the current behaviour continues the probability of negative health consequences is high (Belch & Belch, 2012).…”

Flying Flags of Fear: The Role of Fear in the Process of Political Transition

“…The concept of fear is central-even if rather silently so-to many of the general themes of modern social and political thought (Tudor 2003). Despite its importance to growing sociological thought on risk, which presupposes different senses of fearlessness and fearfulness in a 'risk society,' it is generally untheorized (Tudor 2003).…”

“…Despite its importance to growing sociological thought on risk, which presupposes different senses of fearlessness and fearfulness in a 'risk society,' it is generally untheorized (Tudor 2003). In psychology, despite the ever-increasing literature on fear (and phobias), the subject is generally dealt with through the prism of the clinical and biological and is largely acontextually.…”