The Great Mass Murder Epidemic: Shaping a Social Problem

• In Event: Roundtable: Media and Technology

Abstract

Mass killings are widely seen as a serious crime problem. Yet they are extremely uncommon. We argue that mass killing has been seen as a social problem because it is an issue that has been useful to and resonates with a variety of interests, not the least being Department of Justice and the FBI. Other interests who benefit from imagining mass murder as a serious social problem include mass media, gun control advocates, gun control opponents, mental health workers, local law enforcement, and feminists. This paper discusses how the concept of mass murder/shootings has been defined and framed by a variety advocacy groups to resonate with the public and create concern.

Authors

• Paul Kooistra, Furman University

• John S. Mahoney, Virginia Commonwealth University