Subcultures and Cultural Hybridity

Question 1

What is dominant culture? (leikultuur, melting pot, hegemonic culture functionalists + marxists)

Answer 1

functionalism: the traditional (national) culture that establishes shared values
leikultuur: the ‘offical’ culture that immigrants must assimilate into
melting point: the majority culture
marxists don’t argue: prefer to call it hegemonic culture - this culture is shaped by ruling class ideology + full of capitalist values –> shouldn’t go along with it

Question 2

what are subcultures?

Answer 2

groups that shares some norms and values of dominant culture, but expresses different norms/values in other ways
e.g. religious/ethnic subcultures - eg. Sikhs
subcultures based on popular culture e.g. music, fashion - Goths
subcultures based on lifestyles/ethics e.g. vegans

Question 3

what is cultural hybridity?

Answer 3

hybrid is a mixture, mixing or blending cultures
- 2nd or 3rd gen immigrants mix their family culture with their dominant culture
LINK: Giddens 1999: reverse colonialism - culture that british empire colonised in 19th cent starts to influence british culture itself

Question 4

how can cultural hybridity express itself?

Answer 4

• being bilingual
• mixing dress codes + hair styles eg. white people with dreadlocks
• combining foods eg. role curry has in british culture

Question 5

A02 British Asians - Brasians
study - johal and Bains 1998 (white mask, code-switching)

Answer 5

Johal and Bains 1998 2nd or 3rd gen british asians are dual identity ‘brasians’ who can adopt a ‘white mask’ this is known as code-switching
- also point out that 3rd gen brasians are drawn to hyper ethnic style
- exaggerating certain aspects of their own traditional ethnic culture = they call this an empowerment through difference - argue it’s a way of coping with racism e.g. asian rap or bollywood films

Question 6

key study - Sarah Thornton 1995 (subcultural capital)

Answer 6

sarah thornton 1995 - club cultures
focuses on dance subculture
- Builds on Bourdieu’s concept of cultural capital extends this with subcultural capital: knowing the latest bands, best DJs, what’s ‘hot’ and what’s not: ‘dynamic hipness’
- she argues that consumer culture is inauthentic it doesn’t satisfy anybody will produce alienation (marxist) or anomie (functionalist)
Thornton argues people value underground or non-mainstream culture for its authenticity –> having knowledge of that non-mainstream culture is subcultural capital

Question 7

EVAL of subcultures - perspectives positive

Answer 7

Marx/fem - they express resistance to the hegemonic culture –> subcultures don’t go along with the dominant culture

Question 8

EVAL of subcultures - perspectives negative

Answer 8

Functionalists - joining sub culture –> they risk isolating people from shared values leading to anomie

Question 9

EVAL of cultural hybridity - positive

Answer 9

Marx/fem - undermines hegemonic culture –> gives voice to non-white + non-european, non-middle class members of society

Question 10

EVAL of cultural hybridity - negative

Answer 10

Functionalists - cultural hybridity undermines national identity + shared values
- can lead to cultural appropriation
Marx/fem - idea of taking aspects from another culture thoughtlessly based on unearned privilege
e.g. 2018 prom dress - was traditional chinese dress was critisced by chinese - american/chinese saying that’s her culture
another debate –> whether it’s acceptable for actors to play characters from a different ethnicity
- attention drew to casting of mulan casting only chinese actors as main roles

Question 11

how does cultural hybridity link to global culture?

Answer 11

• product of immigration –> immigration leads to emergence of ethnic subcultures
• 2nd + 3rd gen immigrants adopt hybridity
• reverse colonialism leads to hybridity

Question 12

how does subculture link to popular culture?

Answer 12

• subcultures formed around fashion and music
• some subcultures gain status e.g. drag - RuPauls TV show
• not all cultures gain prestige - some subcultures are stereotyped or trivialised eg. debate on indian character Apu in Simpsons

Question 13

summary of subcultures and cultural hybridity?

Answer 13

subcultures: share norms/values with dominant culture but differ in ways, might be resisting dominant culture or creating anomie
hybridity: mixing the norms of different cultures, linked to immigration; might be resisting dominant culture or refreshing it with new ideas; rise of cultural appropriation
Johal 1998: British Asians ‘Brasians’ adopt a white mask or hyper-ethnic style
Thornton 1995: dance cultures creates a subcultural capital as people search for authenticity