Application

• Which theories argue YC is linked to social class?

  • Neo-Marxism
  • Functionalists
  • Interactionists
  • Others: Vankatesh, Harding and Charles
• 5 studies to show a relationship between social class and youth culture

  1. Hebdige- Neo-Marxist- Punks resisted consumerism
  2. Jefferson-Neo-Marxist- Teddy boys brought status
  3. Willis- Neo-Marxist- ASSC's prepare for capitalist workplace
  4. Hodkinson- Neo-Marxist- Goths resist middle class norms and values
  5. Brake- Neo-Marxist- Hippies resist middle class norms and values
• Masclinity


  norms and values important to mans sense of identity traditionally: violence, aggression, control, power, homophobia, reject education
• Explain one reason why YC are related to masculinity

  • boys join anti school subcultures due to crisis of masculinity
  • Mac and Ghaill say social and economic change have led to a crisis of masculinity as some boys feel threatened and confused
  • New laws for gender equality mean men as a breadwinner is no longer dominant
  • A decline in manufacturing jobs means boys don’t see the point in gaining qualifications so join ASSC’s
• Explain a second reason YC are related to masculinity

  • near Marxist argue young men join youth cultures due to a sense of hyper masculinity
  • Some show exaggerated forms of stereotypical male behaviour known as hyper masculinity so they may form or join youth cultures with other men who share values
  • Cohen and Clark say late skinheads would show masculine values by using violence towards different ethnicities to defend blue-collar jobs
• Explain 3rd reason YC are related to masculinity

  • Neo-Marxists argue boys join ASSC's to reject education system
  • Willis studied the 'lads' and said they aspired to work factory jobs like their fathers so they joined ASSC's to lean to have a 'laff' to cope with boredom
• Explain 4th reason YC is related to masculinity

  • Functionalist argue boys join youth cultures like gangs and anti-school subculture is due to status frustration
  • Cohen said boys tried to gain status in education by working hard and achieving good grades. However they soon realise they were unable to do this so joined anti school subcultures where do you behaviour was praiseworthy
• Explain 5th reason why YC is related to masculinity

  • functional argue working class boys join deviant youth cultures due to their focal concerns
  • Miller listed five focal concerns, including fate, autonomy, toughness, excitement, and smartness
  • For example, they might prove they are
• Which two theories look at how girls are more involved in YC today

  • Feminists- McRobbie and Garber, Attwood, Batchelor, Jackson, Archer
  • Postmodernists- Livingstone, Maffesoli, McLuhan
• 5 studies showing girls are more involved in YC today

  1. Riot grrls- Atwood
  2. Girls in gangs- Batchelor
  3. Ladettes- Jackson
  4. New bedroom culture- Livingstone
  5. Global village- McLuhan
• Explain 1 reason YC is linked to ethnicity

  • Ethnic minorities, join youth culture to show pride in their heritage
  • Letts argues the skinhead youth culture started as a result of a fusion between white working class and black heaves with Jamaican parents
  • many skinhead’s parents migrated to the UK as part of the wind wash generation reggae music was an important part of skinhead ide
• 2nd reason YC is related to ethnicity

  • Ethnic minorities join youth cultures because they feel marginalised
  • Charles argues crime is popular for black working class used to join
  • She said black used for marginalised due to racism and gentrification
  • Grime can help create a sense of community and help social mobility as some can earn income
• 3rd reason YC is related to ethnicity

  • ethnic minorities, join deviant youth cultures due to racism other education system
  • Gillborn researched in schools and found black children were being treated and penalised more harshly causing black children to retreat to anti-school subculture to avoid racism
  • this led to more conflict between teachers and the self-fulfilling prophecy
• 4th reason YC is related to ethnicity

  • The media creates moral panics about black males being involved in deviant youth cultures
  • Hall is a neo Marxist and studied how immediate made black men folk devils for mugging to divert attention from the economic issues
• Explain 5th reason YC is related to ethnicity

  • White youths may join youth culture because they have racist values
  • The by Jefferson felt they had low status so when the generation immigrated from Jamaica, they felt threatened and engaged in violence
• Explain 5 reasons YC is a right of passage

  • Parsons a functionalist would agree they are a right of passage as they are a celebration/event that shows a child is becoming an adult
  • Parsons also argues it acts as a bridge preparing youths for life outside family and developing an achieved status
  • Eisenstadt says they help people let off steam in a stressful period of their life
  • Durkhiem says it helps create social solidarity
  • Parsons said it is part of socialisation with peers giving rewards and sanctions
• List 5 reasons YC is not a right of passage

  • Berger- most people are never part of a YC and some stay for life 'goths for life' Hodgkinson
  • Postmodernist- Maffesoli YC is outdated- neo tribes instead
  • Neo-Marxists they are an attempt to change society- punks
  • Feminists- create social change- riot grrls
  • Neo-Marxists ignore the impact of class- Parsons