Subcultures: Ethnicity Flashcards
Rastafarians
Rastafarians are associated with Jamacian/Caribbean culture and reggae music, dreadlocks and often clothes in the colours red, gold and green, which come from the flag of Ethiopia as Rastas have religious beliefs associated with their African roots there. Smoking marijuana is associated with Rastas and is seen as part of their religion as they believe it helps them to reach a higher level of spirituality.
Hebdige
Saw the Rastafarian culture as as forms of resistance to white culture and racism with roots in the relations of slavery. Many were attracted to Britain as it offered them a positive identity and opposition to the racism they were experiencing.
Brasian
Brasian culture is a fusion between Asian and British culture. E.g. Bhangra music mixed with rap, dance and pop with artists such as Jay Sean and M.I.A. Young British Asians refuse to accept a subordinate place in society and want to celebrate their culture by making it more fashionable. Johal suggests that some Brasians adopted a ‘hyper-ethnic style’ and exaggerated their parents’ culture, including watching Indian or Hindi films and listening to Asian music. This gave them ‘empowerment through difference’. However, issues such as religion, choice of marriage partner and diet may lead to these Brasians begin selective on what they want to follow, which is known as ‘code switching’ where young Asians move between one culture form to another, depending on what they saw as most appropriate.
Mercer
Mercer discusses the styling of hair within black culture and its symbolic meaning. For example, the afro and dreadlock hairstyles are seen to be part of black identity (which can be seen as resistance) and straightened black hairstyles are seen as imitating white culture (which can be seen as integrating). However, Mercer says this is a very simple explanation and all forms of hairstyles can be forms of hybridity.
Ethnocentric sociologists
A criticism of functionalists, feminists and the CCCS is that they do not consider the impact of race and ethnicity on youth subcultures. Hebdige said there is clear relationships between black styles of dress, music and dance but this is not explored any further. These sociologists are accused of being ‘ethnocentric’ for this reason. Studies in the US have been less ‘white-focused’ and considered hip hop and ‘gangta rap’ as subcultures, but these studies have been carried out by black sociologists.
White wannabees
Identified by Nayak as young white working-class males who adopt the style and language of ‘black culture’. Other terms such as ‘wiggers’ have also been used. They listen to hip hop or gangta rap, wear lots of ‘bling’ and dress in a style similar to that associated with black males. A good example of a white wannabe is Ali G.
Modern primatives
Seen to have body modifications such as tattoos and piercings as a way of expression. Vale and Juno argue that this body modification is a reaction to the sense of powerlessness created by living in a fast-changing world, as it gives them some sense of power and control can be regained.
Hutnyk
Argues that tattoos in Western subcultures may strip the meaning from symbols and used them in a superficial way
