Subcultures Flashcards
What things differentiate youth from other age groups?
Education, value of peers and lack of responsibilities .
Where are spectacular subcultures studied?
Centre for contemporary cultural studies @ Bham Uni
Describe Teddy’s boys
WC excluded from wealth due to poor performance in education so attempt to appear MC via clothing and where they hang out
Describe Mods
WC who used money to look affluent by buying scooters, suits and listening to jazz
Describe Punks
Adapting ordinary objects and wearing extreme clothes as a form of resistance
Describe Rockers
Black leather jackets who create a type of ‘biker culture’
Describe Skinheads
Exaggerated WC masculinity, associated with racism, football and unemployment
What is the functionalist view on youth subcultures?
Individual must feel integrated to function in society or else an anomie will occur. Youth groups encourage this belonging.
What is the marxist view on youth subcultures?
Youth subculture formation as a result of resistance for lower class against capitalism and FCC. Began in 60’s / 70’s due to racial tension and high unemployment.
What is the feminist view on subcultures?
Majority of studies are focused on boys and gender therefore has a significant impact on group formation.
What does Parsons say about youth?
It is a ‘rite of passage’ as they come up to adulthood where they have responsibilities and independence.
What does Eisenstadt say about youth?
They can ‘let off steam’ as hormones come and go.
What are two criticisms of the functionalist view on youth subcultures?
1) Ethnocentric
2) Women and men have different experiences
What are two criticisms of the marxist view?
1) Women had own socioeconomic problems
2) Middle class had subcultures also (hippies)
What 2 things do McRobbie and Garber say about youth subcultures?
1) Girls are presented only as ‘passive gfs’
2) Their groups are tight-knit and should be studied
What does postmodernist Redhead say about ‘club culture’?
MIPS say clubbing groups have no fixed gender or class distinction. They use social media as a way to thrive in their groups.
What does postmodernist Maffesoli say about ‘neo-tribes’?
They replace subcultures as modern days there are more loosely organised groups with no distinct traits or correlation of people.
What does postmodernist Polhemus say about ‘supermarket style’?
There is a sense of ‘fluidity’ where groups pick and choose the trends they adopt, which depends on the time they exist in.
What are 2 criticisms of the postmodernist view on youth subcultures?
1) There are still some distinct groups
2) Neo-tribes are just friend groups and not cultures in their own.
What does Thornton say about gender and subcultures?
Girls have less subcultural capital (interest in trending music and activities) and so account for mainstream culture being seen as feminine.
What exemplifies Thornton’s view on gender and subcultures?
Rave culture legalisation creating negative view on women e.g. ‘techno tracey’s’
What does McRobbie and Garber say about gender and subcultures?
Girls have adopted a ‘bedroom culture’ via talking about boys, magazines and crying together.
What does Heidensohn say about ‘bedroom culture’?
It creates a sense of invisibility in studies of subcultures for girls
What does McRobbie say about gender and subcultures?
Black women ridicule male sexualisation through ‘ragga music’ to reclaim sexuality.
What are 2 postmodernist criticisms of views of gender and subcultures?
1) Holland saying ‘binge drinking’ has equal male and female
2) Unisex subcultures such as new romantics and goths
How do Teddy’s boys relate to class and subcultures?
They have dead end futures and so hang around in local areas to imitate the middle class and enjoy irresponsible youth.