youth subcultures Flashcards
Youth definition
the period of life between childhood and adulthood. Socially constructed.
culture definition
the way of life of a group of people
Subculture definition
A group within a larger culture with their own norms and values
Anomie definition
functionalist
A state of normlessness of uncertainty about how to behave in certain situation where there is rapid change in society - a void of norms and values.
Consensus Theory
Functionalist
Consensus theories are those that see people in society as having a shared interest and society functioning on the basis of there being broad consensus on its norms and values.
Social solidarity
Social solidarity is closely related to social cohesion and is the idea of a well-integrated functioning society where all members have been socialized into its shared norms and values.
Parsons 1942
- saw youth as important transitional phase
- individual must leave how to leave the security of their parents in a stressful time
- this allows them to become independent.
- important they break ties w/ their parents (childhood)
- develop independence to start their own families (adulthood)
- getting part-time jobs + spending more time away from the family
- Parsons see the youth as a ‘rite of passage’
parsons 1962
- ‘youth’ is a social category due to changes in the family associated with the development of capitalism.
- pre-capitalist , the transition from childhood to adulthood was marked by an initiation of right of passage - The Hamar tribe.
Hamar tribe - women get whipped to show devotion to men.
Men jump on cattle to show strength.
Eisenstadt 1956
- saw youth as a way of bringing young people into society.
- during this period, they might feel stress or anomie when transitioning.
- youth subculture provides a shared set of norms and values that are important to give a sense of belonging.
- Youth culture can provide a safe outlet.
- allowing young people to “let off steam”.
- and get their own opinions and get any frustrations “out of their systems” in an acceptable way
Abrams 1959 - The Teenage Consumer
- the emergence of youth culture was linked to their emergence as a distinct group.
- believed youth culture was actually created by the media.
Mead 1928
- studied the Samoan culture - > suggests that very little trauma is associated with adolescence
- the transition into adulthood is unremarkable
Mods
-1960
-Mod short for Modernist
-Late night clubs, scooters and amphetamines
-Own distinctive style usually wearing tailored suits or Parkas or Polos
-Music was the center of Mods
-African American, blues, british grage rock were the two main music styles they enjoyed,
-Mod bands include - The Kinks, The Who and Small Faces.
-Hebdige (1979) music shared ideology associated with 1950’s rock music who dressed in smart clothes and leather who drove scooters and motorbikes.
Spectacular youth subcultures
highly visible youth subcultures formed in Britain between 1950s and 1970s
FUNCTIONALIST VIEW
youth culture as homogenous and youth as a transitionary phase. (socialisation). Formed after WWII due to demographic changes, consumerism and American culture.
Neo Marxist
Working class youth join youth subcultures as a form of resistance against capitalism. CCCS at the centre of Neo-Marxist explanations of youth subcultures.
Hall and Jefferson
Spectacular Subcultures are a form of resistance towards capitalism.
Clarke
Skinheads a form of resistance - exaggerated working class masculinity.
Hebdige
Punks and bricolage - resistance against capitalism
Feminism
Young women are marginalised from youth subcultures due to social control or have been ignored by ‘malestream’ sociologists.
McRobbie and Garber
bedroom culture
Thornton
Girls have less ‘subculture capital’ and were marginalised - lack of disposable income / not taken seriously.
Reddington
Female punks
Postmodernist
Youth subcultures are a thing of the past. This are much more fluid nowadays due to consumerism, globalisation and hybridity.
Polhemus
concept of “supermarket of style”
Maffesoli
concept of neo-tribes
Hodkinson
evaluation of postmodernist view
argues that the study on goths argues that distinct youth subcultures still exist.
Evaluation on Functionalism
Studies are outdated 1942-1959, focus on white male American middle class youth
Evaluation on Marxism
Malestream
Ethnocentric
Overthinking things when they are simply just there
Evaluation on Feminism
Class can be argued to being a bigger barrier
Hebdige - ethnicity, hybridity, and youth culture
Rastafarians resisting racism and capitalism
Nayak
concept of white wannabes. Hybridity.
Cashmore
Rap the ultimate hybrid music form.
ROCKERS
Biker subculture
started 1950s
centered around british motocycles and rock n roll music
originally a derogatory term to the motocycle-riding youth that they later adopted.
heavily docrated leather motorcycle jackets, metal studs, patches, pins.
not welcomed into pubs and venues due t clothing styles and dirtiness
media called them “folk devils” causing moral panic through highly exaggerated portrayls
Stuart (1987), many rockers were opposed to recreational drug use. Their ritual hatred of Mods was based in part on the fact that these people were believed to take drugs and were therefore referred to as sissies. Their dislike of anyone associated drugs as intense.
MODS VS ROCKERS
MODS - stylish fans of psychedelic rock who wore skinny ties and suits and rode around in scooters.
ROCKERS- tough kids - wearing leather and greased hair in pompous hairstyles and rode motorbikes.
MODS hated the raw conception of masculinity, plainness and clumsiness.
BIG FIGHT in the south coast England on the bank holiday of 1964
