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Who are the main subcultural theorists?
Albert Cohen; Richard Cloward; Lloyd Ohlin; Walter Miller.
What is Albert Cohen's theory of the 'Delinquent Subculture'?
Cohen argues that lower working-class young men, socialized into mainstream norms, fail to achieve societal goals due to limited opportunities; this leads to status frustration and the creation of a delinquent subculture.
What is 'status frustration,' according to Cohen?
Status frustration occurs when lower-class young men feel frustrated and dissatisfied due to their inability to achieve societal respect and status through legitimate means.
How do delinquent subcultures address status frustration?
These subcultures provide a collective solution where young men reject mainstream success goals, form new norms opposing societal values, and gain respect through deviant acts like theft or vandalism.
What are the main motivations for deviant acts in Cohen's theory?
Seeking status within the group; earning recognition from peers; engaging in activities for fun or group bonding.
What is the focus of Cloward and Ohlin's theory on delinquency?
They emphasize that deviance involves a range of subcultures and point out that individuals use illegitimate opportunities to achieve success when legitimate ones are blocked.
What are the three types of subcultures in Cloward and Ohlin's theory?
Criminal subculture; conflict subculture; retreatist subculture.
What are the characteristics of the criminal subculture?
Found in stable working-class communities; features organized adult crime providing role models; young men engage in utilitarian crimes like theft and robbery.
What are the characteristics of the conflict subculture?
Found in unstable, lower working-class neighborhoods; marked by high unemployment and lack of organized crime; involves gang formation and turf conflicts.
What are the characteristics of the retreatist subculture?
Composed of individuals who fail in both legitimate and illegitimate opportunities; includes outcasts like alcoholics, drug addicts, and failed gang members.
What does Walter Miller mean by 'focal concerns'?
Focal concerns are the unique values of lower-class communities that often conflict with mainstream societal norms, leading to deviance.
What are the 'focal concerns' identified by Miller?
Trouble; toughness; smartness; belief in fate; freedom.
What criticisms are made of Cohen's arguments?
Miller notes that some subcultures socialize members into their own values rather than mainstream ones, making deviance their norm.
What criticisms are made of Cloward and Ohlin's theory?
Their data was outdated; they incorrectly suggested drug use is limited to the lower class; they treated the lower class as a homogenous group.
How is Miller's theory criticized?
It assumes middle-class rural youth do not engage in deviance for similar reasons; fails to account for deviance across all communities.
How can subcultural theories be evaluated in the Caribbean context?
The relevance depends on whether Caribbean lower-class communities exhibit similar cultural patterns, frustrations, and deviations as described in these theories.
