Introduction: Scandals, Panics and Crusades

Abstract

The Savile affair detonated an explosion of scandals which affected both individuals and key public institutions. Scandals usually play an important role in clarifying the moral issues preoccupying society. However, in the absence of moral consensus scandals breed uncertainty instead of restoring moral order. This is what occurred in the wake of the Savile scandal. The febrile atmosphere surrounding the exposure of Savile as a paedophile should be conceptualised as a moral crusade rather than as a moral panic.