Thinking beyond moral panic

This article conceptualizes processes of moralization as rational, dialectic constructions of self and other that are transmitted through everyday discourses of risk management and harm avoidance. One explanation is provided for how volatile moralizing discourses, as a temporary extension of moralization in everyday life, are transmitted through configurations of grievance and risk under neo-liberalism. The article offers insights into the diverse ways in which moralization operates, and it critically assesses moral panic theory's continued use in criminological research.