The first section on youth subcultures from the OCR Sociology A2 exams. This covers why Postmodernists, Marxist, Feminist and functionalists believe youth subcultures emerged
Peer subcultures give youth's a
sense of belonging which they no
longer receive from the family
and have not yet experienced
from work
Parsons
'Youth' emerged due to changes
in the family associated with
development of capitalism
Developments in work
required more training
and socialisation for
young people
'Right of passage' between
childhood and adulthood
Eindstadt
Reduces stress and gives
young people a sense of
belonging
Abrams
Youth culture created
by the media
Youth emergence linked to
youth spending power
Marxist
Youth subcultures are a form of
resistance against the ruling
class and a reaction to the
economic situation
working-class youths found
themselves in
Hall and Jefferson
Resistance through rituals
Feminist
McRobbie and Garber
Girls are conspicuously
absent from most research
on youth subcultures
Mulvey
Male Gaze
Bedroom Culture
Postmodernist
Youth styles are now much
more fluid and changeable
Manchester Institute of
Popular Culture (MIPC)
No clear identity found in 'club cultures'
Thornton
Subcultural capital
Know whats in and
out, used to gain
status and
distinguish from
mainstream
followers
Redhead
Media-driven reality
Media formed cultures
Neo-Tribes
Bennett
Neo-tribes clear when
looking at nightclubs in
Newcastle
Maffesoli
Loosely organised grouping with no
fixed membership or commitment
Holland and Chatterton
Rather than having Neo-tribes, we have the
majority of youths characterised by
commercial chart music, drinking culture
and pleasure-seeking behaviour.