This presentation looks into the youth-centered curfew laws that continue to shape the cultural lives of children and young adults under the age of 18. Curfew laws have grown increasingly popular over the past century, as a means of regulating the late-night activities of American youth. Importantly, curfew laws are a re-occurring theme in popular media coverage of police violence, riots, and race-relations. As such, studying curfew laws and the cultural context of their existence may lend insight into contemporary events. While curfew’s are generally proposed as a way to combat disruptive, problematic, and even illegal behaviors by youth, there is a great deal of debate over their effectiveness, execution, and effects. This study will look at (arguably) the most controversial curfew laws in American cities, including those existing in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Oakland. Each of these cities faced measurable opponents while voting on the creation of curfew laws from parents, civic organizations such as the ACLU, and local/national media. Specifically, this study will examine how these policies and criticism are received by these three groups. It will analyze how parents, organizations, and media interpret the adoption of curfew laws and their perceived effectiveness. Further, it will critically look at the context of the policy proposal and implementation of curfew laws as a means to understand how they may shape the relationship between American youth, policy leaders/enforcement, and popular media.
About the presenterAlison N Novak
Alison N. Novak is a Assistant Professor at Rowan University in the College of Communication and the Arts. She received her Ph.D. from Drexel University in Communication, Culture, and Media. She studies the millennial generation’s engagement and interpretation of media and politics. She is co-editor of a volume titled “Defining Identity and the Changing Scope of Culture in the Digital Age,” under contact for publication in January 2016.