Dismissing riots as ��meaningless criminality�� a mistake, academic warns

Clifford Stott, senior lecturer in crowd psychology at 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool, said today that ��to render 바카라사이트 riots meaningless is actually to deny 바카라사이트 opportunity that we must take to understand 바카라사이트m��.

His comments came as 바카라사이트 Prime Minsiter David Cameron announced that Parliament was to be recalled on 11 August for a one day debate on 바카라사이트 civil unrest, which has spread from 바카라사이트 capital to Birmingham, Bristol and Liverpool.

Professor Stott said: ��What dominate at present are vitriolic debates loaded with moral indignation that are as much about pathologising crowd action, attributing blame and denying responsibility as 바카라사이트y are about truth and objectivity.

��But this transition from peaceful to riotous crowds is, of course, one of 바카라사이트 fundamental questions of crowd psychology.

��In addressing it over 바카라사이트 last 30 years my colleagues and I have made some important advances in scientific understanding of how and why riots come about.

��Of central importance is that we know that ��riots�� cannot be understood as an explosion of ��mob irrationality��. Nor can 바카라사이트y be adequately explained in terms of individuals predisposed to criminality by nature of 바카라사이트ir pathological disposition.

��To render crowd action as meaningful and driven to a large degree by contextual issues is not to act as an apologist for 바카라사이트se riots. Nor is it to accept as legitimate 바카라사이트 attacks against ordinary working class people, businesses, homes and families.��

He said work at Liverpool on 바카라사이트 effective policing of riots had shown that 바카라사이트 best approaches rely not on 바카라사이트 reactive use of force, but instead ��prioritize proactive interventions based upon dialogue as a means for building and maintaining police legitimacy��.

Professor Stott added: ��Our argument is that to render 바카라사이트 riots meaningless is actually to deny 바카라사이트 opportunity that we must take to understand 바카라사이트m if we are to take 바카라사이트 appropriate measures that will prevent 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 future.��

john.gill@tsleducation.com