Understanding the English ‘riots’ of 2011: ‘mindless criminality’ or youth ‘Mekin Histri’ in austerity Britain?

Cooper, Charlie

Abstract

The mainstream view permeating media and political discourses following the 2011 ‘riots'in England is that the disturbances are evidence of a moral decline and mindless criminality,implying that the nation's more settled traditions have been corroded. As a consequence, the policyresponse emerging in the aftermath of the troubles prioritises punitive welfare and criminal justicesanctions aimed at restoring ‘decent' traditional values and ways of behaving. This article arguesthat these mainstream responses are not only based on a flawed understanding of England's pasttraditions but that they also fail to acknowledge the deteriorating socio-cultural context of life inpost-industrial, austerity Britain, particularly as it affects young people marginalised by ‘race'and class. Thus the policies currently pursued are unlikely to address the deep-rooted underlyingstructural causes of the widespread discontent and outrage expressed, however inchoately, duringthe disorder.

Citation

Cooper, C. (2012). Understanding the English ‘riots’ of 2011: ‘mindless criminality’ or youth ‘Mekin Histri’ in austerity Britain?. Youth and Policy, 109(September), 6-26

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Sep 1, 2012
• Deposit Date: Nov 13, 2014
• Journal: Youth & Policy
• Print ISSN: 0262-9798
• Publisher: Youth and Policy
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 109
• Issue: September
• Pages: 6-26
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/471549
• Publisher URL: http://www.youthandpolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/cooper_riots_2011.pdf
• Additional Information: Unclear on archiving policy despite checking Sherpa and journal website