theories on the role/formation of youth subcultures Flashcards
functionalist view on why youth subcultures form
consensus = social integration
youth = transitional stage
start forming their own families
sense of belonging from peers instead of family
parson - 1962 - functionalist
youth = social category that emerged with capitalism
capitalism = adults and children having distinct roles, so need a training period
also stage were youth gain impendence and an occupation status
Eisenstadt - 1956 - functionalist
youth = isolating and stressful period
share set of norms + values and sense of belonging
safe outlet for transition for childhood ‘get frustrations out’
Abrams - functionalism
emergence of youth culture is linked to the emergence of distinct groups with spending power that is targeted by the media and business
evaluations of functionalist views
- over generalized - didn’t account for individuals (gender, race, class)
- looked at youth as a whole and not subcultures
- evidence only came from white-class American males (ethnocentric)
Evaluation of functionalist views.
- over generalized: didn’t account for individuals (race, gender, class)
- evidence only came from white middle American males (ethnocentric to western cultures)
Marxists views on the formation youth subcultures
see them as spectaculars youth subcultures
views formed by the CCCS / Neo-Marxists
youth subcultures form because of social and economic situational factors
CCCS
developed from Gramsci concept of hegemony (social authority/ideological dominance that ruling class have over the subordinate class) 1960/70 - social issues faced by the working class leading to youth resisted the ruling class
evaluations of Marxists / Neo-Marxists / CCCS
look for meaning that didn’t exist (fashion or behavior)
feminists challenge CCCS for leaving out girls (McRobbie and Garber)
middle class groups had their own subcultures (hippies)
majority of youth don’t belong to a subculture
CCCS data is outdated
feminist main view
girls are left out and ignored in subculture research
McRobbie and Garber -1976 - feminists
girls are absent or only presented as passive girlfriends (attractive but uninteresting)
this happened as interviews built rapports with only male subgroups
bedroom culture - resistance to their anxieties around sexual interactions. leading tight-knit relationships and being invisible on the street corners
evaluations of McRobbie and Garber
gender is less significant now and there is no current subcultures with any gender distinctions.
postmodernist main view of subcultures
youth subcultures have become increasingly fragmented and diverse and their style is more fluid (as it is mixed from different sources)
neo tribes
MIPS research (Manchester institute of popular culture) - postmodernists
research into club culture in the 1980-90 they found that it was very diverse (no clear gender, class or ethnicity distinction)
Thornton - subcultures- postmodernism
club culture is defined by a shared taste in music and dance, plus made of multiple subcultures.
influenced by Bourdieu = social capital
- meaning club culture is about gaining status and distinguish themselves from the mainstream followers
Redhead - postmodernist
states that authentic subcultures develop outside of media influence.
todays youth are apart of a media driven reality, so suggest that Thornton’s view is more realist today.
Maffesoli - subcultures - postmodernist
used the term neo-tribes for modern subcultures
as now they are loosely organised groups with no commitments or fixed memberships
no longer form social line, so individuals can earn more from tribe to tribe. (no longer class or ethnicity tribes)
evaluations of postmodernism -subcultures
Bennet - research in Newcastle nightclubs found neotribes based around fashion, music and lifestyle but had no shared values ( No longer define themselves to an individual tribe)
Polhemus - develops upon fluidity - supermarket of style - pick identity from multiple cultures and lifestyle ( no longer committed to a label)
subcultures relating to social class - sociologists
john Clarke tony Jefferson dick hebdige Thorton Brake
john Clarke
working class boy resisting economic crisis
e.g. skinheads
focused on reclaiming territory and had racist views
- links to mac an ghali male crisis
tony Jefferson
affluence for the working class boys but were still seen as having no future. e.g. teddy boys - so spent a lot of money on clothes clothes = symbolising their desire to be middle class but also wore western clothes to be cool like cowboys
brake - youth subculture
thought that subcultures were a magical solution rather than practical.
subcultures provide youth with a collective identity and power leading to them feeling that they can fight back but will always turn into adults and submit to society
Thornton’s criticism to the CCCS
youth are exempt from adult financial commitments and enjoy disposable income and freedom from adult responsibilities because of unempolyment
so take part in club culture
Hebdige - mods
mods are working class - spend money on suits and scoters a more affliction group that resisted against the middle class to show that they can be cool and smart too.
hebdige - punks
‘bricolage’ - repurpose ordinary objects and avoid mainstream fashion
seen as resistance against fashion industries and mainstream media
CCCS also found that social class and frustrated youth led to resistance subcultures (towards capital system and social deprivation)
punks - god save the queens - political views
evidence of resistance in subcultures relating to social class
CCCS viewed subcultures as a resistance to the capital system and to the class system
evidence of social class, deprivation and frustration relating to social class subcultures
feelings of deprivation and frustration have led to youths forming subcultures with slightly different economic situations
