Lesson 3 - Marxism/Neo Marxism Flashcards
How do Marxists say youth cultures are formed (1)
• YC reaction to hegemony
-values dominated via MEDIA + EDUCATION, transmitted by UC
• Focus on Specataculst youth subcultures
- Subcultures successful in commanding loyalty of followers
- each PP dedicated member of distinct subculture with own N+V, styles, uniform
How do Marxists say youth cultures are formed (2)
- Associated w/ Centre for Contemporary Cultural studies
- CCCS writers argue social CLASS DIFFERENCES between youth explain direction of youth subC
• CCCS critical of functionalism -social class diff irrelevant
-CCCS writers say social class + capitalism Very significant
Resistance
-Hall and Jefferson(1976)
- From CCCS
- YC form of resistance against capitalism
-inarticulate way of resolving problems faced by each gen of WC youth
Exaggeration
-Clarke(1976)
• Skinhead YC exaggerated version of WC masculinity
• Dressed distinct style of manual workers clothing
-used violence + territorial
• Skinheads used style to recreate ‘trad’ WC community and ‘magically’ restore from extinction
Magical Solutions
-Brake(1984)
- YsubC provide ‘magical solutions’ to members’ lives
- Youth reality can do NOTHING to alter power differences of society
-Joining subC allows opportunity to convince themselves their gen will differ from parents’
• ‘Magic’ part is it’s all an ILLUSION
Incorporation
-Marxism
- YsubC eventually DECLINE + REPLACED
- INCORPORATION is new distinct styles eventually find way into high streets and pop culture
-Results in styles losing cutting edge + distinctiveness and eventually fade away
Marxist Evaluation
• (-) IGNORES importance of ETHNICITY -class not only form of inequality in society
- Rastafarianism give political expression to feelings of oppressions felt by Afro Caribbean migrants and children
- racism in experiences in 70s clearly not experienced by all disadvantaged groups
• (-) McRobbie(1991) argue GIRLS roles IGNORED in subCs
- Malestream sociologists fail to notice girls don’t ‘fit in’ with description of roles of subCs despite they’re still WC
- Eg females were involved in ‘teddy boys’, ‘punks’, ‘teenyboppers’ but ignored
• (-) Functionalists argue RESISTANCE is EXAGGERATED
-according to Eisenstadt subCs joined to carve out identity for themselves rather than relying on ascribed identity of ‘being a child/youth’
• (-) Postmodernists
How does Gramsci(1971) argue YC are formed
- Neo-Marxism
- hegemony
• Observed ruling class domination
- control doesn’t rest on force
- operates at level of thinking in society
• Youth fooled into thinking society is fair and works in their favour (not true)
• Hegemony extends & includes way youth may consent to their domination (may falsely believe good thing) -allows ruling class capitalist power to continue, without physical force
Semiology
-Barthes(1993)
- Day to day life not to be taken at face value
- Deconstruct hidden meanings behind YsubC
- Hebdige(1979) writes about alternative subC
-oppositional subC created allowing subordinate youth groups to develop counter-hegemonic lifestyles, symbols, and spaces
• SubCs work against dominant ideology of capitalist class
- Youth styles are to challenge/be meaningful
- symbolic in hair, dress, behaviour, language etc
Bricolage
-Levi Strauss
• Hegemony is always changing
- Bricolage is idea that subC borrow, redefine, and use styles and symbols from cultural groups rather than their own
- Eg skinheads -> rude boys
Neo Marxist Evaluation
• (+) BRICOLAGE supported by POSTMODERNISTS
-Polhemus argues YC is a ‘pick and mix supermarket of style’
- youth pick elements of variety of subC and merge together
- Eg rude boys mix Rastafarianism with gangster rap to make rude boy style (known today as roadman)
• (-) POSTMODERNISTS REJECT idea of CLASS differences
- believe youth have free will and choice
- not bound by social background
