subcultural theory

Question 1

Major research questions of subcultural theory?

Answer 1

Why are there delinquent gangs?
How do young boys come to join them?

Question 2

When did subcultural theory emerge?

Answer 2

1950s and 1960s

Question 3

What was subcultural theory a response to?

Answer 3

The weaknesses of mertons anomie thesis

Question 4

what were the 3 key weaknesses?

Answer 4

-neglected expressive crime
-depicted adaptations as individual/isolated response
-did not offer any account to the determinants of specific adaptations to strain

Question 5

What theorys were Cohens?

Answer 5

-strain in schooling
-six delinqunet subcultures
-3 adaptations to status frustration

Question 6

what does the college boys do when confronted w status frustration?

Answer 6

accept the goal and the means

Question 7

what does the corner boys do when confronted w status frustration?

Answer 7

accept the goal but reject the means

Question 8

what does the delinquent boys do when confronted w status frustration?

Answer 8

reject the goal and the means

Question 9

what are cohens 6 features of delinquent subcultures?

Answer 9

-non-utilitaranism
-malice
-negativism
-short-run hedonism
=versatility
-group autonomy

Question 10

what theorys did cloward and ohlin do?

Answer 10

-3 types of delinquent subcultures
-illegitimate opportunity structures

Question 11

what is the illegitimate opportunity structures?

Answer 11

-deviance is mediated by availability of illegitimate means in a given neighbourhood
-major shaping factor is the presence or abscene of stable recruitment into adukt criminal enterprises in local community

Question 12

symptoms of criminal subculture?

Answer 12

-emerges in areas when an established adult criminal tradition exists
-criminal role models and opportunities
-orientated towards the pursuit of material gains through illegitimate means
-theft robbery burglary etc

Question 13

symptoms of conflict subculture?

Answer 13

-emerges i socially disorgannized areas where few adult criminal role models and few illegitimate opps for economic gain
-orientated towards protection of terrioty
-violence is regarded as a means of gaining respect and status

Question 14

symptoms of retreatist subculture?

Answer 14

-emerges as a collective solution to the status dilemma faced by youths who failed to achieve staus in conflict subculture and have no legitimate or illgeitiamte means for success
-consumption of drugs and alc
-characterized by an abandonment of cultural goals and efforts to achieve them by legal and illegal means

Question 15

what are millers theorys?

Answer 15

-6 focal concerns of lower class
-sex-role problems

Question 16

what is sex-role problems?

Answer 16

-gang members brought up in single mum hoouse
-no stable male role models
-can lead to over-valorisation of sterotypical masculine attributes
-gang resolve sex-role problems by providing the means to express masculine status
-crime is resource for demostrating masculinity