Youth subcultures

Roberts - Types of youth subculture

• They identified three types of transition from childhood to adulthood

• Abrupt

• Gradual

• Lengthy

Hebdige - Types of youth subculture

• They used semiotic analysis to study punks

• They looked into symbols and markers that punks possess to make their identity

• Things such as safety pins

Willis - types of youth subculture

• They carried out interviews and observations in a school and found something that he called ‘counter school culture’

• The boys that he studied were found to be misbehaving in school and had no regard for academic success

Bachelor - Types of youth subculture

• They conducted a study looking at the violent behaviour amongst young girls in Scotland

• He found little evidence of girl gangs and every girl had no idea of any girl who was in a gang

Venkatesh - Types of youth subculture

• They studied a crack- cocaine dealing gang and he found out that this gang was functional for its members as it gave them a job and they got paid

• He coined the term ‘outlaw capitalism’ which means just mirroring different economies

Cloward and Ohlin - Types of youth subcultures

• From a functionalist perspective, they suggested that the working class youths are more likely to need or have a parallel opportunity structure

Mcrobbie and Garber - Patterns and trends

• They look at how youth subcultures link to femininity and they studied bedroom culture

• They argue that with this, girls can have a private and inaccessible place away from boys

Hey - Patterns and trends

• They points out that groups of young women in her study have distinct norms and values

• These include attitudes to education, clothing and sex

• She noticed that female subcultures are much less flamboyant than men’s

Mirza - Patterns and trends

• She studied young black girls in schools and found out that they did not rebel against the system despite being marginalised

• She found that they cared more about academic success and if that meant that they got marginalised it was okay

King and Smith - patterns and trends

• They studied the brand jack wills and how this brand promotes an upper class lifestyle

• They did this by including logos related to typical rich or upper class sports such as polo or sailing

• But unis became more accessible and inclusive so the jack wills culture was formed

Murray - Patterns and trends

• They comes from a new rights perspective and suggested that the reason behind high crime rates is inadequate parents

Durkheim - Conservative theories

• They coined the term “anomie” which is referring to a state of confusion

• This refers to a breakdown of norms and values

• Young people who fall into this state may resort to being a member of a gang

Parsons - Conservative theories

• He argued that the social roles associated with different age groups are vital for the smooth functioning of society

• Functionalists altogether believe that they see there being a ‘youth culture’ as ‘solving the problems of transition.’

Cohen - Conservative theories

• They showed how young working class boys who fail in school go through status frustration

• As a result they inverted the reward system and reward each other for bad behaviour and slacking at school

Alexander - Conservative theories

• He studied young boys of Asian descent and found how being in a gang for them would provide a functional defense mechanism

• This could protect them from racism in society

Bennett - Conflict theories

• They criticised the CCCS for assuming that punk was an expression of the working class

• He suggested that punks are predominantly middle class art students

Hebdige - Conflict theories

• They argued that working class youth formed politically motivated subcultures to try change society

• He said that youth subcultural styles should be read as a challenge to the class inequality

Jackson - Conflict theories

• They conducted a study on Ladettes and found out that ladettes are loud and misbehaving

• Pussy riots, slut walks also counter the typical behaviour of girls

Adler - Conflict theories

• Adler suggested that certain groups are emerging as a response to the liberation of women

• As gender convergence and equality occurs he found that women will naturally become more independent and assertive

Bordon - Postmodernist

• They conducted a study on skaters and what they are

• They are made up of youths who share the same hobby of skating

• He found skaters to be loosely associated which means different ages and social classes

Muggleton- Postmodernist

• In his research he found less defined boundaries between members and a weaker sense of commitment ‘ to the cause.’

Thornton - Postmodernist

• They suggest that we now take a highly individualistic approach to style and identity

• Youth styles are fluid and we can choose who we want to be and we can take inspiration from other cultures or identities

• This is known as pick n mix

What kind of theorist was Willis?

• Marxist

• He said that people joined gangs to make a political statement

What kind of theorist was Hebdige?

• Marxist

• They believed that the working class youth formed subcultures to try change society

What kind of theorist was Jackson?

• Feminist

• They talked about ladettes and their influence on society

What kind of theorist was Mcrobbie and Garber?

• Feminists

• They talked about bedroom culture

What kind of theorist was Thornton?

• Postmodernist

• They talked about pick n mix and how people can pick their identity in today’s society

What kind of theorist was muggleton?

• Postmodernist

• They talked about how contemporary subcultures are no longer politically motivated

What kind of theorist was Alexander?

• Functionalist

• He talked about how gangs provided a functional defense mechanism to young black and Asian boys

What kind of theorist was parsons?

• Functionalist

• He talked about how social roles associated for different age groups are vital

What kind of theorist was Durkheim?

• New rights theorist

• Durkheim looked at anomie

What kind of theorist was Murray and Hernstein?

• New rights theorists

• They looked at the bell curve and how some people have predispositions

What kind of theorist was Alexander?

• Interactionism

• He looked at how black kids in gangs are more likely to be stopped

What kind of theorist was pollack?

• Interactionism

• He looked at the chivalry thesis