1Which concept, coined by Laura Mulvey, describes how visual media is structured around a masculine viewer, relegating women to the status of objects?
A.The Male Gaze
B.The Glass Ceiling
C.The Beauty Myth
D.Symbolic Annihilation
Correct Answer: The Male Gaze
Explanation:
Laura Mulvey introduced the concept of the 'Male Gaze' in 1975 to explain how cinema depicts the world and women from a masculine point of view, presenting women as objects of male pleasure.
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2Which term describes the sociological phenomenon where certain groups are underrepresented or completely absent from media discourse?
A.Symbolic Annihilation
B.Audience Fragmentation
C.Media Saturation
D.Cultural Imperialism
Correct Answer: Symbolic Annihilation
Explanation:
Symbolic Annihilation, a term attributed to Gaye Tuchman, refers to the absence of representation, or underrepresentation, of some group of people in the media (often based on race, sex, sexual orientation, etc.).
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3According to Judith Butler, gender is not an essential biological fact but rather:
A.A result of economic status
B.A fixed psychological trait
C.Determined solely by genetics
D.A performative act
Correct Answer: A performative act
Explanation:
Judith Butler argues that gender is 'performative,' meaning it is a stylized repetition of acts and behaviors that society associates with being male or female, rather than an innate biological truth.
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4In the context of media and masculinity, what does R.W. Connell’s concept of 'Hegemonic Masculinity' refer to?
A.The equal representation of all male types in media
B.The dominant, culturally accepted ideal of what it means to be a man
C.The decline of male influence in society
D.The biological differences between men and women
Correct Answer: The dominant, culturally accepted ideal of what it means to be a man
Explanation:
Hegemonic masculinity refers to the dominant form of masculinity that occupies the hegemonic position in a given pattern of gender relations, often emphasizing strength, dominance, and heterosexuality.
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5Which media trope involves the inclusion of a minority character primarily to give the appearance of diversity without having any meaningful involvement in the plot?
A.Tokenism
B.Whitewashing
C.Queerbaiting
D.Stereotyping
Correct Answer: Tokenism
Explanation:
Tokenism is the practice of making only a perfunctory or symbolic effort to do a particular thing, especially by recruiting a small number of people from underrepresented groups in order to give the appearance of sexual or racial equality.
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6Edward Said’s concept of 'Orientalism' explains how Western media constructs the 'East' as:
A.Technologically superior and advanced
B.Economically dominant
C.Culturally identical to the West
D.Exotic, mysterious, and irrational
Correct Answer: Exotic, mysterious, and irrational
Explanation:
Said argued that 'Orientalism' is a Western style for dominating, restructuring, and having authority over the Orient, often characterizing the East as static, exotic, primitive, and irrational in contrast to a rational West.
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7The 'Beauty Myth,' as described by Naomi Wolf, suggests that:
A.Beauty standards are used as a political weapon to stall women's advancement
B.Beauty is an objective, biological standard evolutionary trait
C.Men are not subject to any pressure regarding physical appearance
D.Media has no influence on body image
Correct Answer: Beauty standards are used as a political weapon to stall women's advancement
Explanation:
Naomi Wolf argues that as women gained social power and legal rights, pressure to adhere to unrealistic beauty standards increased to control and limit women's psychological and political freedom.
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8Alvarado (1987) identified four key themes in the representation of racial minorities in media. Which of the following is NOT one of them?
A.The Intellectual
B.The Exotic
C.The Dangerous
D.The Pitied
Correct Answer: The Intellectual
Explanation:
Alvarado identified four types of representation for Black people in the media: The Humorous, The Pitied, The Exotic, and The Dangerous. 'The Intellectual' was not one of his categories.
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9What is the term for the process by which social relations and cultural values are transformed into goods that can be bought and sold?
A.Commodification
B.Stratification
C.Bureaucratization
D.Socialization
Correct Answer: Commodification
Explanation:
Commodification is the transformation of goods, services, ideas, and people into commodities or objects of trade within a capitalist economic system.
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10Which theorist coined the term 'Culture Industry' to describe how popular culture produces standardized goods that manipulate mass society into passivity?
A.Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer
B.Michel Foucault
C.Stuart Hall
D.Karl Marx
Correct Answer: Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer
Explanation:
Adorno and Horkheimer, of the Frankfurt School, used the term 'Culture Industry' to critique how popular culture is akin to a factory producing standardized cultural goods to pacify the masses.
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11In consumer culture, 'Commodity Fetishism' refers to:
A.The rise of online shopping
B.The sexual attraction to inanimate objects
C.The obsession with collecting rare items
D.The perception of value in a product independent of the labor and social relations that produced it
Correct Answer: The perception of value in a product independent of the labor and social relations that produced it
Explanation:
Derived from Marx, this concept explains how, in capitalism, the social relationships involved in production are hidden, and products appear to have a mystical value or life of their own.
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12The concept of 'Heteronormativity' in media implies that:
A.Asexual representation is prioritized
B.Gender is fluid and changing
C.Homosexuality is the dominant narrative
D.Heterosexuality is the default, preferred, and 'normal' sexual orientation
Correct Answer: Heterosexuality is the default, preferred, and 'normal' sexual orientation
Explanation:
Heteronormativity is the worldview that promotes heterosexuality as the normal or preferred sexual orientation, often marginalizing other sexual identities in media representations.
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13Which sociological term describes the relationship audiences form with celebrities where they feel they know them intimately despite never meeting them?
A.Collective Effervescence
B.Parasocial Interaction
C.Reciprocal Interaction
D.Social Solidarity
Correct Answer: Parasocial Interaction
Explanation:
Parasocial interaction (or relationships) refers to the one-sided psychological bond audiences form with media figures, such as celebrities or influencers.
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14According to Daniel Boorstin, a celebrity is often defined as a person who is:
A.Born into aristocracy
B.Distinguished by their heroic achievements
C.Known for their well-knownness
D.Selected by divine right
Correct Answer: Known for their well-knownness
Explanation:
Boorstin distinguished between the 'hero' (famous for achievement) and the 'celebrity' (famous for their image), defining the latter as a 'human pseudo-event' known primarily for being well-known.
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15What is 'Pester Power' in the context of children and media?
A.The ability of children to nag their parents into purchasing advertised items
B.The government regulation of children's ads
C.The ability of parents to ban media consumption
D.The power of media to annoy audiences
Correct Answer: The ability of children to nag their parents into purchasing advertised items
Explanation:
Pester power (or the nag factor) refers to the marketing strategy that encourages children to ask their parents repeatedly to buy products they have seen advertised.
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16Neil Postman argued that the rise of television was leading to the 'Disappearance of Childhood' because:
A.Children were watching too much violence
B.Schools were being replaced by TVs
C.TV erased the information barrier between adults and children
D.Children were becoming more intelligent than adults
Correct Answer: TV erased the information barrier between adults and children
Explanation:
Postman argued that childhood relied on a separation of knowledge (adult secrets). Television, being visual and accessible, reveals adult content (violence, sex, corruption) to children, eroding the boundary between the two stages of life.
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17Which term describes the fear that new media (like video games or social media) poses a threat to the wellbeing of society, particularly youth?
A.Anomie
B.Cultural Lag
C.Moral Panic
D.False Consciousness
Correct Answer: Moral Panic
Explanation:
A moral panic is a widespread fear, often irrational and fueled by media exaggeration, that someone or something is a threat to the values, safety, and interests of a community or society.
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18In the construction of race, Stuart Hall emphasized the role of media in:
A.Reflecting reality perfectly
B.Eliminating racial bias entirely
C.Constructing the 'Other' to define the 'Self'
D.Creating economic equality
Correct Answer: Constructing the 'Other' to define the 'Self'
Explanation:
Stuart Hall argued that media representations often construct a binary between 'Us' (the norm/white) and 'Them' (the Other), helping to define the identity of the dominant group through exclusion.
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19The concept of 'Intersectionality,' relevant to media analysis of identity, was introduced by:
A.Max Weber
B.Angela McRobbie
C.Kimberlé Crenshaw
D.Emile Durkheim
Correct Answer: Kimberlé Crenshaw
Explanation:
Kimberlé Crenshaw coined intersectionality to describe how overlapping social identities (race, class, gender) relate to systems of oppression and discrimination, which is crucial for analyzing media representation.
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20The 'Pink Dollar' refers to:
A.The cost of cosmetic products
B.The purchasing power of the LGBTQ+ community
C.Marketing targeted specifically at women
D.Charitable donations for breast cancer
Correct Answer: The purchasing power of the LGBTQ+ community
Explanation:
The Pink Dollar (or Pink Money) describes the purchasing power of the gay community, often leading to specific media targeting and consumerist inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals.
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21According to Baudrillard, in a consumer culture dominated by media, we consume:
A.Signs and symbols
B.Raw materials
C.Use values
D.Labor power
Correct Answer: Signs and symbols
Explanation:
Jean Baudrillard argued that in postmodern society, consumption is based on 'sign value' (what the object says about our status/identity) rather than 'use value' (utility).
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22Which of the following best describes 'Whitewashing' in Hollywood?
A.Using bright lighting in scenes
B.Cleaning film equipment
C.Censoring violent content
D.Casting white actors in roles historically or scripted as non-white characters
Correct Answer: Casting white actors in roles historically or scripted as non-white characters
Explanation:
Whitewashing is the casting practice in the film industry in which white actors are cast in non-white roles, erasing the representation of the original ethnic group.
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23The term 'Digital Natives,' referring to the generation growing up with the internet, was coined by:
A.Marshall McLuhan
B.Tim Berners-Lee
C.Mark Zuckerberg
D.Marc Prensky
Correct Answer: Marc Prensky
Explanation:
Marc Prensky coined the term 'Digital Natives' in 2001 to describe the generation of people who grew up in the era of ubiquitous technology, including computers and the internet.
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24Angela McRobbie’s analysis of magazines like 'Jackie' focused on:
A.The economic decline of print media
B.The representation of sports in media
C.The construction of teenage femininity through romance and domesticity
D.Political radicalization of youth
Correct Answer: The construction of teenage femininity through romance and domesticity
Explanation:
McRobbie’s seminal work on 'Jackie' magazine analyzed how it socialized teenage girls into traditional gender roles focused on romance, fashion, and preparing for marriage.
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25Which concept suggests that advertising creates 'False Needs'?
A.Functionalism
B.Symbolic Interactionism
C.Rational Choice Theory
D.Herbert Marcuse’s Critical Theory
Correct Answer: Herbert Marcuse’s Critical Theory
Explanation:
Herbert Marcuse argued that capitalism and the media create 'false needs'—desires for products that people don't actually need for survival or well-being—to integrate individuals into the system of production and consumption.
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26In the context of race, what does 'The Burden of Representation' mean?
A.The pressure on a single minority figure to represent their entire community positively
B.The cost of hiring diverse actors
C.The legal requirement to show all races
D.Actors must carry heavy costumes
Correct Answer: The pressure on a single minority figure to represent their entire community positively
Explanation:
The burden of representation occurs when a minority group is underrepresented; consequently, the few visible characters are scrutinized heavily and expected to represent the 'truth' of that entire group.
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27Chris Rojek identifies three types of celebrity. Which is NOT one of them?
A.Ascribed (inherited)
B.Achieved (talent/skill)
C.Absolved (religious)
D.Attributed (created by media)
Correct Answer: Absolved (religious)
Explanation:
Rojek classifies celebrity into: Ascribed (lineage/blood), Achieved (accomplishments/skill), and Attributed (largely the result of media focus, e.g., reality TV stars).
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28The 'Bechdel Test' is a measure used to evaluate:
A.The representation of women in fiction/film
B.The accuracy of historical documentaries
C.The violence level in video games
D.Racial diversity in newsrooms
Correct Answer: The representation of women in fiction/film
Explanation:
The Bechdel Test asks whether a work features at least two women who talk to each other about something other than a man.
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29According to Thorstein Veblen, buying expensive goods to display wealth and status is called:
A.Utility Maximization
B.Ethical Consumption
C.Conspicuous Consumption
D.Subsistence Living
Correct Answer: Conspicuous Consumption
Explanation:
Veblen coined 'Conspicuous Consumption' to describe spending money on and the acquiring of luxury goods and services to publicly display economic power.
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30Media portrayals of the 'supercrip' stereotype refer to:
A.Superheroes with no weaknesses
B.Criminal masterminds
C.Wealthy media tycoons
D.People with disabilities depicted as having superhuman abilities to overcome their disability
Correct Answer: People with disabilities depicted as having superhuman abilities to overcome their disability
Explanation:
The 'supercrip' stereotype frames disability as a personal tragedy to be overcome through heroic effort, often ignoring structural barriers and setting unrealistic standards for disabled people.
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31The transition from 'production-based' society to 'consumption-based' society is a key feature of:
A.Feudalism
B.Early Industrialization
C.Postmodernity
D.Agrarian society
Correct Answer: Postmodernity
Explanation:
Sociologists argue that postmodern society is defined by a shift where identity and social life are organized around consumption and lifestyle rather than one's role in production (work).
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32The 'Cult of Celebrity' suggests that:
A.Celebrities are always part of cults
B.Celebrities are religious leaders
C.Modern society worships fame as a secular religion
D.Fame is declining in importance
Correct Answer: Modern society worships fame as a secular religion
Explanation:
The Cult of Celebrity implies that in a secular society, celebrities fulfill the function of deities or saints, providing role models, myths, and a focus for community worship/interest.
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33When media suggests that women can 'have it all' (career and family) through consumption and individual effort, this is often criticized as:
A.Anarcha-Feminism
B.Post-Feminism
C.Radical Feminism
D.Marxist Feminism
Correct Answer: Post-Feminism
Explanation:
Post-feminist media culture often assumes equality has been achieved and repackages feminist ideals as individual consumer choices (empowerment through buying/beauty) rather than collective political action.
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34Which theory suggests that children are 'active audiences' who interpret media rather than passively absorbing it?
A.Hypodermic Needle Model
B.Political Economy
C.Uses and Gratifications Theory
D.Cultivation Theory
Correct Answer: Uses and Gratifications Theory
Explanation:
Uses and Gratifications theory focuses on what people do with media, rather than what media does to people, viewing children as active agents who select media to satisfy specific needs.
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35Van Dijk’s analysis of news media found that ethnic minorities were often portrayed through:
A.Scientific achievement
B.Nuanced cultural documentaries
C.Crime, threat, and problem-oriented frames
D.Heroic narratives
Correct Answer: Crime, threat, and problem-oriented frames
Explanation:
Teun van Dijk's discourse analysis revealed that ethnic minorities in Western news are disproportionately associated with negative topics like crime, immigration problems, and cultural conflict.
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36The concept of 'McDonaldization' (Ritzer) applies to consumer culture by emphasizing:
A.Local sourcing and organic food
B.Chaos and unpredictability
C.Efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control
D.Artistic freedom
Correct Answer: Efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control
Explanation:
Ritzer uses the fast-food model to explain how rationalization affects culture, leading to standardized, efficient, and predictable consumer experiences (e.g., shopping malls, blockbuster movies).
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37Which term describes the media practice of defining a woman’s value primarily by her sexual appeal?
A.Empowerment
B.Canonization
C.Objectification
D.Matriarchy
Correct Answer: Objectification
Explanation:
Sexual objectification involves treating a person as an instrument of sexual pleasure, reducing them to their physical attributes rather than viewing them as a whole person.
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38In the context of youth culture, the 'CCCS' (Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies) is famous for researching:
A.Educational testing standards
B.Youth subcultures as forms of resistance
C.The biological basis of adolescence
D.Youth employment rates
Correct Answer: Youth subcultures as forms of resistance
Explanation:
The Birmingham School (CCCS) analyzed working-class youth subcultures (punks, mods, skinheads) as symbolic forms of resistance against dominant culture and economic marginalization.
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39The 'Smurfette Principle' refers to:
A.A cartoon with no female characters
B.A cast of characters that is entirely female
C.The practice of including only one female character in an otherwise all-male ensemble
D.The use of blue lighting in film
Correct Answer: The practice of including only one female character in an otherwise all-male ensemble
Explanation:
Coined by Katha Pollitt, this principle describes the trope where a group of male characters is accompanied by a lone female, whose primary characteristic is often just being 'the girl'.
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40Which of the following is an example of 'Queer Coding' in media?
A.A character explicitly stating they are gay
B.A heterosexual romance plot
C.A villain possessing traits stereotypically associated with queerness without being confirmed as queer
D.A documentary about LGBTQ+ rights
Correct Answer: A villain possessing traits stereotypically associated with queerness without being confirmed as queer
Explanation:
Queer coding involves subtextual coding of a character (often villains in Disney or classic film) as queer through mannerisms, style, or speech, without explicit confirmation.
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41The 'Attention Economy' suggests that in a media-saturated world:
A.People pay more attention to books than TV
B.Money is the only currency
C.Human attention is a scarce commodity that media companies compete for
D.Advertisements are disappearing
Correct Answer: Human attention is a scarce commodity that media companies compete for
Explanation:
The attention economy treats human attention as a scarce resource. Media and celebrity culture are designed to capture and monetize this attention.
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42What is 'Advertainment'?
A.The blurring of the line between advertising and entertainment content
B.Educational advertising
C.Government propaganda
D.Banning ads in movies
Correct Answer: The blurring of the line between advertising and entertainment content
Explanation:
Advertainment refers to media that combines advertising with entertainment, such as product placement or branded content, making it harder for consumers (especially children) to distinguish the two.
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43The 'Dumb Blonde' is a classic example of a:
A.Gender Stereotype
B.Class distinction
C.Religious dogma
D.Racial Microaggression
Correct Answer: Gender Stereotype
Explanation:
The 'Dumb Blonde' is a pervasive gender stereotype that associates light hair color in women with a lack of intelligence and sexual availability.
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44Schadenfreude, often utilized in celebrity gossip magazines, means:
A.Fear of missing out
B.Pleasure derived from another person's misfortune
C.Admiration for success
D.Obsessive stalking
Correct Answer: Pleasure derived from another person's misfortune
Explanation:
Celebrity culture often monetizes schadenfreude, where audiences consume media detailing the downfalls, breakups, or scandals of famous people.
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45The concept of 'Commercialization of Childhood' implies:
A.Children are working in factories
B.Parents sell their children's art
C.Schools teach business skills
D.Children are viewed primarily as a market demographic to be exploited
Correct Answer: Children are viewed primarily as a market demographic to be exploited
Explanation:
This concept critiques how market forces have encroached upon childhood, turning play, education, and social interaction into opportunities for selling products.
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46Who argued that the 'medium is the message', implying the form of media shapes culture more than the content?
A.Marshall McLuhan
B.Sigmund Freud
C.Karl Marx
D.Auguste Comte
Correct Answer: Marshall McLuhan
Explanation:
McLuhan argued that the technology itself (the medium) has a greater impact on social structure and human consciousness than the specific content it carries.
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47The term 'Global Village' predicts that electronic media will:
A.Cause global warfare
B.Create a single world culture and shrink social distance
C.Destroy all local languages
D.Isolate people in their homes
Correct Answer: Create a single world culture and shrink social distance
Explanation:
McLuhan's 'Global Village' suggests that electronic media connects the world into a single community, making events in one part of the world instantaneously experienced by others.
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48In the context of ethnicity, 'Hybridity' refers to:
A.The rejection of all culture
B.The purity of a single culture
C.Biological genetics only
D.The blending of different cultural influences to create new identities
Correct Answer: The blending of different cultural influences to create new identities
Explanation:
Cultural hybridity (often discussed by Homi Bhabha) refers to the mixing of East/West or local/global cultures, often resulting in new, complex identities for diasporic populations.
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49Which feminist perspective would be most critical of the fact that media ownership is predominantly male?
A.Liberal Feminism
B.Postmodern Feminism
C.Marxist Feminism
D.Radical Feminism
Correct Answer: Liberal Feminism
Explanation:
Liberal feminists often focus on access, legal equality, and representation within existing structures. They would critique the 'Glass Ceiling' and lack of women in decision-making power roles in media industries.
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50The portrayal of youth as 'Hoodies' or 'Thugs' in the UK media is an example of:
A.Integration
B.Veneration
C.Normalization
D.Demonization
Correct Answer: Demonization
Explanation:
Demonization refers to framing a specific group (often working-class youth) as a source of moral decline or threat, using symbols like the 'hoodie' to signify danger.