Social Class and Youth Sub-Cultures

Youth subcultures are significantly influenced by young people's social, economic, and cultural backgrounds. These factors often dictate the resources, opportunities, and values that shape their participation in various subcultures. For instance, the emergence of punk and hip-hop can be traced back to working-class communities, reflecting their unique experiences and expressions.

Marxist Perspective

Marxists contend that society is structured on the exploitation of the working class by the capitalist economic system. This exploitation is perpetuated through power structures and legal systems that favor the capitalist class.
Capitalism maintains its dominance through various mechanisms, including economic policies, legal frameworks, and ideological control. These systems ensure the continuation of wealth accumulation by the capitalist class at the expense of the working class.
Inequalities in wealth distribution lead to social class conflict and power imbalances. This conflict manifests in various forms, such as labor movements, social activism, and political resistance, as different classes vie for resources and influence.

Cohen (1972)

Cohen conducted a detailed study of subcultural styles in London's East End, utilizing semiological techniques to interpret the meanings behind these styles. His work provided valuable insights into the motivations and expressions of youth subcultures.
Youth cultures emerge as a response to the erosion of traditional community life and the associated values. These styles can be understood as symbolic reactions to this loss, as young people seek to create new forms of identity and belonging.
Mods: Working-class young people adopted distinctive styles characterized by tailored suits, scooters, and a focus on fashion and music. This subculture represented a rejection of mainstream values and an assertion of individuality and style.
Rockers: Also working-class, Rockers embraced a different subcultural style centered around motorcycles, leather jackets, and rock and roll music. Their style reflected a rebellious attitude and a rejection of societal norms.
Subcultural style serves as a means of expressing resistance against dominant norms, allowing marginalized youth to create identity and community in the face of poverty and marginalization. This resistance can take various forms, including fashion, music, language, and social practices.
Strength: Cohen's research benefited from an insider's perspective, as he actively participated in the subcultures he studied, providing rich and nuanced insights.
Limitation: The study's focus on white working-class youth in London's East End limits its generalizability to other subcultures and social contexts.

Hall and Jefferson (1976)

Hall and Jefferson's study of Teddy boys argued that their distinctive style, characterized by drape jackets, drainpipe trousers, and elaborate hairstyles, expressed contempt for middle-class values and aspirations.
Teds were primarily working-class boys who felt excluded from the post-war economic boom and the associated wealth creation. Their style served as a form of protest against their marginalization and a celebration of working-class identity.
The ethnographic approach employed by Hall and Jefferson provided an in-depth exploration of the Teddy boy subculture, capturing its nuances and complexities.
Limitation: The study lacked sufficient information on the broader cultural context in which the Teddy boy subculture emerged, limiting its ability to fully explain the subculture's significance.

Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies (CCCS)

The CCCS focused on examining the intricate relationship between social class and cultural practices. Their research highlighted how cultural forms reflect and reinforce social class divisions, as well as challenge and resist them.
Cultural forms, including media, music, and fashion, are influenced by class relationships and the underlying economic and political structures. These cultural forms can serve to reproduce or challenge existing power dynamics.
Cultural practices reflect and reinforce social class divisions and can challenge and resist them. These practices contribute to the construction and maintenance of social boundaries and hierarchies.
The CCCS conducted extensive studies of working-class youth subcultures in the 1960s and 1970s, providing valuable insights into their cultural expressions and social dynamics.

Cohen (1972) and Clarke (1976) on Skinheads

Cohen and Clarke argued that the aggressive racism displayed by skinheads was an attempt to preserve a threatened traditional working-class identity in the face of social and economic changes.
Skinheads represented an exaggerated attempt to recover traditional working-class identity amid the transformations occurring in industrial Britain during the 1970s. Their style and behavior reflected a desire to maintain a sense of belonging and cultural continuity.

Brake (1984)

Brake argued that youth cultures offer magical solutions to the challenges and frustrations faced by their members. These solutions provide an illusion of control and empowerment in a world where young people often feel powerless.
Young people are relatively powerless and lack the ability to significantly alter their social world. Subcultures offer a sense of agency and control through shared identity, values, and practices.
The solutions provided by subcultures are considered magical because they do not address the underlying causes of social inequality and powerlessness. Instead, they offer symbolic or temporary forms of resistance and escapism.

Hebdige (1979)

Hebdige used the term 'bricolage' to describe punk culture, highlighting its innovative reuse of ordinary objects in unconventional ways, such as ripped clothes and safety pins.
Punk emerged as a form of resistance against mainstream media and the fashion industries, challenging their authority and promoting DIY aesthetics and anti-establishment values.
Punk attracted working-class and disaffected youth and college students, creating a diverse community united by their shared alienation and desire for social change.
Strength: Hebdige's work highlights the agency and creativity of marginalized subcultural groups, showcasing their ability to create meaningful forms of expression despite limited resources.
Criticism: His analysis romanticizes subcultures and overlooks their potential to perpetuate oppressive ideologies related to gender, race, and class.

Thornton (1995a)

Thornton challenges the CCCS's emphasis on the significance of social class in shaping youth subcultures, arguing that other factors, such as age, gender, and lifestyle, play a more prominent role.
Youth often have disposable income due to fewer financial commitments, allowing them to participate in subcultural activities and express their identities through consumption.
Most youth, regardless of class, experience a period of freedom to spend their income on leisure and cultural pursuits, blurring the lines between social classes in youth subcultures.

Feminist Perspective

Heidensohn critiques the CCCS research for its male-dominated perspective, pointing out the oversight of youth cultures among young women. This critique highlights the need for more inclusive research that considers the experiences and perspectives of all genders.

CCCS View

Social class significantly shapes cultural tastes, values, and participation in subcultural groups. These factors influence the forms of expression and affiliation that resonate with different social classes.
Social class influences the resources, opportunities, and experiences available to young people. These factors shape their ability to participate in various subcultures and express their identities.
Working-class youth may participate in subcultures reflecting their experiences of poverty and marginalization, while middle-class youth may engage in subcultures reflecting their access to resources and opportunities. This highlights the diverse ways in which social class shapes subcultural participation.

Conclusion

Social class influences youth subcultures through various channels, including style, music, and cultural expression, which contribute to creating identity and solidarity among subcultural members.
Subcultural style serves as a means of distinguishing members from mainstream society and expressing their unique identities and values.
Music plays a crucial role in articulating political and social views and fostering a shared sense of belonging among subcultural members.
Social class influences opportunities and resources, which shape engagement with subcultures. Access to resources and opportunities can determine the extent and nature of participation in various subcultures.
Working-class youth may encounter fewer opportunities to participate in resource-intensive subcultures due to financial constraints and limited access to cultural capital. This highlights the ongoing impact of social class on subcultural participation.