Hodkinson & Garland

Targeted Harassment and Subcultural Identity

  • Abstract

    • Examines experiences of targeted harassment among youth subcultural participants, specifically goths.

    • Addresses the lack of research despite discussions on the victimization of alternative subcultures.

    • Suggests that harassment, even if not directly experienced, is part of subcultural life.

    • Harassment strengthens identities tied to perceived 'otherness'.

Importance of Study

  • Recent discussions in UK following the murder of Sophie Lancaster in 2007 highlighted issues of public harassment and violence.

  • Media coverage increased awareness of harassment against goths and other subcultures.

  • The paper suggests that public harassment is integral to the identity of spectacular subcultures, influencing participants' solidarity and sense of belonging.

Literature Review

  • Existing research on subculture and violence is prevalent; however, targeted harassment against non-violent subcultural participants is often overlooked.

  • Previous studies (e.g., Hodkinson, Brill) hint at the link between experiences of public harassment and the formation of subcultural identity.

  • Lauraine Leblanc’s research showed that harassment led punks to adapt coping strategies to deal with public abuse.

Methodology

  • Participants: 21 individuals connected to goth scene (8 men, 13 women, ages 19-53).

  • Recruitment: Through snowball sampling, goth societies, and social media.

  • Interviews were semi-structured, focusing on personal experiences of harassment and its significance to identity.

Findings

Experience of Harassment

  • Participants reported diverse experiences; some faced extreme physical attacks while others encountered verbal abuse or minor harassment.

  • Regular experiences of harassment became normalized, with examples including insults yelled from cars or public places.

  • Common verbal harassment included derogatory terms related to their appearance, sexualization, and threats.

Collective Experience

  • Even those who hadn’t faced violence felt a sense of vulnerability due to communal narrative around harassment.

  • Collective responses to incidents of harassment included anxiety and preparation for potential violence.

  • Notable incidents (like Lancaster's murder) affected group psychology even amongst those untouched by direct violence.

Impact on Identity

  • The expectation of harassment influenced daily routines and heightened awareness of surroundings.

  • For goths, experiences of public and self-harm-related harassment shaped a strong group identity, building solidarity among participants.

Harassment as Societal Hostility

  • Participants expressed that harassment is an external manifestation of broader societal stigmatization and discrimination.

  • Common themes included experiences of police mistreatment and negative stereotypes portrayed in media that reinforced victim-blaming narratives.

Embracing Otherness

  • Targeted harassment often bolstered participants’ commitment to goth culture and reinforced their identity as outsiders.

  • Participants described these experiences as opportunities to reaffirm pride and solidarity within the goth community.

  • Examples include reclaiming derogatory labels as terms of endearment within the community.

Conclusion

  • The study concludes that while severe harassment is uncommon, feelings of harassment and victimization are ever-present in goth culture.

  • Harassment experiences contribute to a shared collective identity that embraces otherness and strengthens group ties.

  • Recognizing harassment as a facet of everyday experiences allows for greater understanding of subcultural dynamics and identity formation.