5: Postmodern Views

What is postmodernism?

Society has moved away from structure and fixed life courses towards fluidity, choice and uncertainty

Youth is no longer about age - a 50 year old can skateboard, and a 16 year old can be a parent

YSCs no longer based on social class, gender and ethnic issues

YSCs are rarely deviant

Borden (postmodernist) - Neo-tribes: YSCs have become non-political and individualistic

Researched Skaters

YSC made up of youths who happen to have the same hobby - skateboarding

Clothing brands: DCs, vans, airwalk, hip hop and indie music

Loose association with low commitment levels - no expectation of being in a certain place at a certain time

Demonstration of how YSCs have changed over past 20 years

Muggleton (postmodernist) - Neo-tribes: YSCs have become non-political and individualistic

Contemporary subcultures are no longer as politically motivated

Less clearly defined boundaries between members

Weaker sense of commitment ‘to the cause’

Greater variety in styles

“Punkish” rather than “Being a punk”

Thornton (postmodernist) - Neo-tribes: YSCs have become non-political and individualistic

Youths now take a highly individualised approach to style and identity - more likely to make decisions which vary from each other

Youth styles are fluid

Young people can choose from a range of different fashions, music tastes, dance styles

Clubbing culture - ‘pic ‘n’ mix’ approach curates a mismatched identity

AO3 to (postmodernist) - Neo-tribes: YSCs have become non-political and individualistic

Blackman - focusing on clubbing ignores YSCs that ARE politically motivated
Though BLM and extinction rebellion are not YSCs, their young members are exceptionally active

Furthermore, Blackman says that even subcultures like ravers are politically motivated at times - ie 1980s when raving would be made illegal, anti-apartheid etc

Polhemus (postmodernist) - YSCs increasingly hybrid and diverse

“Supermarket of style” - contemporary youth styles have become very fluid and young people can choose from a range of different fashions

Near-infinite choice - blending and rehashing of styles

No longer ‘goths’ or ‘punks’ but hybrid version of many subcultural styles

Les Back (postmodernist) - YSCs increasingly hybrid and diverse

New Hybrid identities emerging among young people in two council estates in South London

Cultural borrowing, fusion culture

Nayak (postmodernist) - YSCs increasingly hybrid and diverse

Some white working class males try and adopt the language/style of ‘black culture’

‘White Wannabes’

AO3 (postmodernist) - YSCs increasingly hybrid and diverse

Mixing due to rebelling against capitalism and the patriarchy

Disenfranchisement of all youths in society

High unemployment, low wages

Media and phones allow for ‘subcultural capital’

Katz (postmodernist) - YSCs are largely based on thrill seeking and the pursuit of excitement

Youth join deviant YSCs due to the pleasure of transgression, thrill of misbehaviour, break with routine

Deviance is often seductive, impulsive and sensual

Sexual metaphor - youth shoplifting lifts pulse, feel excited, adrenaline rush

Religious metaphor - desire to create symbolic meaning or ruin something sacred

AO3 to (postmodernist) - YSCs are largely based on thrill seeking and the pursuit of excitement

Venkatesh and Scraton - earn a living through outlaw capitalism or make genuine political statements