Functionalist view on youth culture

Question 1

Parsons (1942)

Answer 1

• Youth is a rite of passage and acts as a transition point .
• A bridge between childhood and adulthood.
• A time to explore and experiment ready for adult life

Question 2

Eisenstadt (1956)

Answer 2

-Youth could be a risk of feeling stress and anomie.
- Youth culture , with shared norms and values brings a sense of belonging.
- It’s a time for experimenting and rebelling.
-Youth culture creates cohesion and integration

Question 3

Abrams (1956)

Answer 3

• Believed that youth culture was actually created by the media
• Youth had more money in their pockets
• Consumption based youth

Question 4

what’s an evaluation for parsons

Answer 4

outdated
feminists : lack of evidence of females during their rite of passage

Question 5

what’s an evaluation for abram’s

Answer 5

marxists
- youth cultures as an expression of W/C resistance to capitalism

Question 6

evaluation for eisenstadt

Answer 6

changing nature of youth culture + examination of how social change may have an impact on the role of youth cultures such as the growth of the media , globalisation , the changing roles of women

Question 7

what’s other evaluation points

Answer 7

• postmodernists :
  • youth culture and neo tribes present an opportunity for youth to create their own styles and identities ( Willis)
• feminists :
  youth cultures allowing girls freedom to explore their identities away from boys in a patriarchal society ( Mcrobbie and garber )

Question 8

what did rosak say (evaluation )

Answer 8

• A huge social divide emerging between older and young people.
• Age was becoming more significant than social differences based on class , ethnicity and gender