Fear, Culture of

The culture of fear affects many aspects of life in society, including people’s behavior in social interactions (e.g., fear and insecurity can hinder one’s ability to share), people’s associations and political participation, and local and national security policies. In recent years, the culture of fear appears to have intensified, influencing how societies organize themselves and how they respond to perceived threats. Sometimes, such fear can be transformed into a powerful tool for social and political control. This entry provides historical and current examples of a culture of fear as well as types of perceived threats that contribute to creating a culture of fear; it then discusses who may be afraid of whom in various situations and concludes by relating this fear to the concepts of ...