Contemporary Issues in Public Disorder: A Comparative and Historical Approach - Softcover

Waddington, David P.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0415079144 ISBN 13: 9780415079143

Publisher: Routledge, 1992

Synopsis

Public disorder has returned to the top of the political agenda, and yet it is consistently met with confusion and misunderstanding. Public discussion is superficial and emotive, contributing little helpful enlightenment and creating no prospect of sensible policy change. "Contemporary Issues in Public Disorder" presents the flashpoints model, to explain that public disorder is most likely to occur where a group perceives that its rights are being violated or denied. The model is demonstrated in a selection of vivid case studies which are both international and historical in scope, covering British and American inner city riots, sports spectator violence, and the troubles in Northern Ireland. In particular Waddington traces the growth of police powers and assesses how effective democratic control over police behaviour actually is. Other perennial issues are discussed too. Does media coverage have an inflammatory effect, for instance, and should the media be discouraged from reporting ongoing disorders? This book should replace the recurring confusion and misunderstanding by presenting a comprehensive and reasoned analysis of the key contemporary issues surrounding public disorder.

About this title

Review

"Waddington has largely succeeded in producing an accessible introduction to these issues. In many respects it is currently the best critical analysis of public disorder produced by a British social scientist."
-"Times Higher Education Supplement
"Public order in a modern society is fragile--and is vulnerable to ill-considered government policies. In "Contemporary Issues in Public Disorder Waddington constructs a powerful indictment of the callous incompetence of the Thatcher administrations in the field of law and order. This book is a major contribution to the literature of civil disorder."
-John Benyon, University of Leicester

Edition details

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0415079144
• ISBN 13: 9780415079143
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256