...As early as 1950, David Riesman distinguished between a majority, "which passively accepted commercially provided styles and meanings, and a 'subculture' which actively sought a minority style ... and interpreted it in accordance with subversive values".[1] In his 1979 book Subculture: the Measuring of Style, Dick Hebdige argued that a subculture is a subversion to normalcy. He wrote that subcultures can be perceived as negative due to their nature of criticism to the dominant societal standard. Hebdige argued that subcultures bring together like-minded individuals who feel neglected by societal standards and allow them to develop a sense of identity. In 1995, Sarah Thornton, drawing on Pierre Bourdieu, described "subcultural capital" as the cultural knowledge and commodities acquired by members of a subculture, raising their status and helping differentiate themselves from members of other groups.[2] In 2007, Ken Gelder proposed to distinguish subcultures from countercultures based on the level of immersion in society.[3] Gelder further proposed six key ways in which subcultures can be identified: through their often negative relations to work (as 'idle', 'parasitic', at play or at leisure, etc.); through their negative or ambivalent relation to class (since subcultures are not 'class-conscious' and don't conform to traditional class definitions); through their association with territory (the 'street', the 'hood', the club, etc.), rather than property; through their movement...
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...The Hijab Republic “The meaning of subculture is always in dispute, and style is the area in which the opposing definitions clash with most dramatic force” (Hebdige, 1979: 3). Throughout this essay I would draw and analyse the Hijab republic subculture. Further referencing on the theories of; Semiology by Gillian Rose (2001), The Meaning of Style by Dick Hebdige (1979), and Dress and Globalization by Margaret Maynard (2004). The purpose of this essay is to further dissect the Hijab republic as a subculture, the reasons behind it and semiotically decode their dress as intentional communication. In order to do this, I will firstly, conduct a semiotic analysis to an image, thereafter apply Hepdige’s theories on subculture lastly, I will further discuss and apply Maynard’s theory on the relationship between style and communication. Mieke Bal and Norman Bryson (1991:174) cited in (Rose 2001) explains that human culture is made up of signs, each of which stands for something other than itself. This statement makes you want to understand and make sense of those signs. Observing Yuna in figure01 who wears the hijab along western trends as a form of self-expression and her Islamic identity. Yuna’s iconic and idexcical sign is the head-scarf (hijab) as it is a performative agent through which the sense of common sociality is being achieved by practicing a dress code that is a visible identity maker, and that sends a message to outsiders...
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...The term subculture refers to a group of people with their own style and perspectives used to separate them from the larger culture to which they belong. There are and have been different subcultures in history, some were also rivals, with members of different subcultures becoming enemies automatically. The more interesting aspects of subcultures are the philosophical views, fashion style and music they created and how people adopted that lifestyle to fit in and be part of a big group. Gelder proposed several principal characteristics that subcultures portrayed in general: negative relations to work and class, association with their own territory, living in non-domestic habitats, profligate sense of stylistic exaggeration, and stubborn refusal of massification. Hebdige emphasised that the opposition by subcultures to conform to standard societal values has been slated as a negative trait, where in fact the misunderstood groups are only attempting to find their own identity and meaning. The divergence away from social normalcy has unsurprisingly proliferated new ideas and styles, and this can be distinctly observed through the existence of fashion diversity. Ethnicity, race, class and gender can be physical distinctions of subcultures. Furthermore, qualities which determine a subculture may be aesthetic, linguistic, sexual, political, religious, or a mixture of these factors. The expansion of youth styles from subcultures into the fashion market is a real network or infrastructure...
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...Subculture of Violence Subculture of violence is a setting in which violence is a traditional way of life is often the method of dispute and how they go about resolving the matter. Subculture of violence have its belief in that it refers to a set of values, attitudes and the norms that seem to be cohesive in groups which violent behavior seems to that these group gravitate towards. These subculture seem to form from almost every aspect of society such as religion, place where similar people reside and religion seems to have an aspect also. These subculture have something that links them together something in common Marvin Wolfgang a sociologist and a criminologist who had authored quite a number of books and Franco Fenacuti, who is a Italian...
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...Throughout history cultures have been apart of society, within society subcultures are created by lifestyle, likes, dislikes, class, etc. Subcultures have often been youth driven but are more recently driven by online social groups.During the 20th century social diversity and individuality were on the rise. Wars and revolutions dominated parts of the 20th century meaning many people were put in uniforms and denied freedom of individuality. Additionally with the threat of death and loss of loved ones , people were frantic to live life to full.(Geerinick, n.d.) Prior to WW1 subcultures were small and related to social grouping, style and artists. Geerinick (n.d) states that Nudism is a continuing subculture from this time. Aestheticism was...
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...The classification of Goth as a subculture in society The subject matter of this essay will aim to show that the group known as Goth, is indeed a subculture in society. This essay will demonstrate that this group has its own individual values and norms, separate to that of mainstream society and how it has managed to reinvent itself inside and against mainstream society since it emerged during the 1980's. I have chosen to pick Goths for this essay as they have managed to last as a subculture in many countries worldwide and in my view have successfully distinguished themselves from the dominant culture in society. This essay will try to define what the group is, it will explain what a subculture is and how Goths are a part of that subculture, and it will outline and explain the concept of values with respect to the Goth group while differentiating those values between the gothic subculture and the dominant culture in society. Through norms, dress, language and artifacts it will also show why Goths should indeed be classed as a subculture, separate to that of mainstream society, as they have identified themselves as a subculture through symbols and nineteenth century gothic literature influences as well as contemporary imagery and style through horror films (Hodkinson 2002). The concept of subcultures can be traced back to Frederic Thrashers work on Chicago gangs, when he identified that the gang had its own distinct traditions, morals and their own structure as a group which...
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...Subculture refers to cultural patterns that distinguish some segment of a society's population from the rest of that population. A cultural group within a larger culture, often having beliefs or interests at variance with those of the larger culture. Police subculture is described as the shared values and norms and the established pattern of behavior that are found among police officers. Some values are patriotism and dedication to creating a better society, and are positive values that many of us share. Suspicion and cynicism, are not always prized by others but are necessary for effective police work. Police officers spend the majority of their time dealing with crime, they tend to view members of the public as untrustworthy and potentially...
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...Matt Kertz LA101 Maggie McDermott 9/22/2015 Football Subculture American Football, has grown into one of the most popular sports in the United States, all levels of the sport are loved by the American people. Every weekend family, friends, and fans gather around the football field to cheer on the team of their choice, and take part in one of Americas favorite past times. But high school football is in a league of its own, the players are more than a subculture, almost a family. To play a sport as intense as football the players must carry a specific set of traits the players must be, mentally tough, teammates, and most importantly be a good leader. High school football varies so much from the other age groups that play the game because, before that age most players are still too young to understand the game fully or the team that has the biggest players wins. After high school the best players are plucked up and sent to play at universities and professionally and are surrounded by athletes that were handpicked to be on that team. In high school, the players are usually fully developed physically and mentally have the capacity to understand the game at a fundamental level. This allows for the game to become completive, based on which team works harder and is better prepared, not which team has the biggest players or which team had the best recruitment. The sport itself helps break down barriers between students, without football most of the players wouldn’t know one...
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...In sociology a subculture is a group of people with a culture (whether distinct or hidden) which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong. If a particular subculture is characterized by a systematic opposition to the dominant culture, it may be described as a counterculture. Subcultures are social, with their own shared conventions, values and rituals, but they can also seem 'immersed' or self-absorbed - another feature that distinguishes them from countercultures. Subcultures can be distinctive because of the age, race, ethnicity, class, location, and/or gender of the members. The qualities that determine a subculture as distinct may be linguistic, aesthetic, religious, political, sexual, geographical or a combination of factors. Members of a subculture often signal their membership through a distinctive and symbolic use of style, which includes fashions, mannerisms, and argot. I work for UPS and have worked there for over seven years. UPS is a world of its own. Every business has it's own style. UPS is in the business of linking people, cultures, and commerce, with diversity as an integral part of its global strategy. And with employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, there's no question that diversity is part of the social fabric at UPS. Diversity is leveraging our unique experiences and contributions because they add value to our culture and contribute to the success of our company. In today’s world, we understand that...
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...A subculture is a culture that exists within the dominant culture of a society. Therefore, members of a subculture should have different norms and values to the rest of society, and could be regarded as deviant because of this. Merton (1938), a functionalist sociologist, was aware that not everyone in society shared the same beliefs and goals, however, his works concentrated on the individual. He suggested that those lower down in a stratified society had restricted goals. He developed ‘strain theory’ and argued that there are five responses to the value consensus, which are conformity; innovation, ritualism, retreatism; rebellion. However, while Merton focuses on deviance as an individual response to anomie, subcultural theory focuses on delinquency as a subcultural response. Albert Cohen (1955) drew upon Merton’s idea of strain. He states that working-class youths share the success goals of mainstream culture, but they lack the means to achieve these goals. They have failed in education, live in deprived areas and have very few job opportunities, making it hard for them to achieve their goals. This leads to a sense of failure and inadequacy, something Cohen calls ‘status frustration’. Their solution to the problem is the development of a delinquent subculture that values toughness, aggression and masculinity. This new subculture reverses the norms and values of society, what is regarded as ‘good’ for the majority becomes ‘bad’ within the subculture, and vice versa. Cohen argues...
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...Outline & Terms Argument: There is an inherent contradiction between the process of moral socialization and some people’s desire or belief in a unified American culture 1. Define culture 2. Moral socialization as a principle process by which culture is transmitted from generation to generation. 3. Little league baseball as an agent of socialization as well as a catalyst for the creation of a youth subculture exclusive to its participants. 4. The consequences of this socialization process through subculture for American society at large – Q. Can there be a unified American culture? Culture: (an) integrated system of meanings that help people make sense of their own actions and the actions of others. Your book defines culture as the values, norms and material goods characteristic of a given group. Norms: principles or rules people are expected to observe. They are rules of conduct that specify appropriate or inappropriate behaviors and actions in a given range of social situations. Values: abstract ideals held by individuals and groups of what is desirable, proper, good and bad. Material Culture: artifacts and physical objects that people create and give meaning to. For example, a flag, baseball caps, religious objects such as a crucifix, basketball sneakers and engagement and wedding rings. These objects have symbolic meaning beyond their original function. Non-Material Culture -- consists of human creations that are more abstract...
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...1. Introduction The proposed research project is explicitly concerned with the causal connection between youth sub-cultures in the criminal justice system and the effects of over representation. In addition, this encompasses the question topic area of how Becker’s labelling theory (Becker 1993) and Merton’s strain theory (Merton 1968) affects mainstream society’s perceived deviance of the Goth youth sub-culture and how much of this contributes to this youth sub-culture’s actual deviance. Moreover, a specific area of concern is whether the Goth youth sub-cultures of the past and present, is a site of deviance or a site of creative resistance to norms in mainstream society. Researching the contribution that labelling and stigmatisation of the Goth youth sub-culture have on criminogenic effects, is exceedingly important and valuable as it seeks to identify various gaps in previous research, such as the limited knowledge on the extent to which these factors contribute to deviance. Moreover, there is a lack of theoretical concepts that could possibly account for Goth youth sub-culture’s perceived behaviour. 2. Research question, significance and aims of the research i) Does negative labelling and the over-representation and stigmatisation of the Goth youth sub-culture, cause successive results of emerging and higher levels of deviance? Also, do the effects of stigmatisation cause youth to join the Goth sub-cultures in order to overcome their marginalisation in society...
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...Music in Different Cultures Popular Music and Contemporary U.S. Culture Popular Music in its Many Facets In its broadest sense, popular music is an umbrella term referring to a vast range of commercially mass-marketed musical genres contrasting with classical or art music and intended for mass consumption (e.g., rock, rock and roll, hip-hop, grunge, heavy metal, rhythm and blues, punk, soul, techno, funk, rap, house). This wide-ranging term encompasses a plethora of musical styles involving various rhythms, vocal styles, instruments, and technologies. Characteristically, popular music is a global cultural phenomenon and an accessible form of commercial music aimed at a worldwide audience. Traditionally, British and American forms of popular music have tended to dominate the industry. Corresponding to social, economic, and technological change, popular music is intimately linked to the identity of musicians, performers, or artists, as well as audiences and fans. Popular music is ubiquitous; from shopping malls and advertising to gymnasiums/fitness classes and political campaigns, popular music is a common feature of people's everyday lives and a significant aspect of consumer culture. For fans and enthusiasts, popular music can be a leisure-time pursuit occurring on evenings or weekends; alternatively, it can constitute a lifestyle, or way of life (e.g., Deadheads—a group of fans of the American band Grateful Dead who saw the band at...
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...Introduction Slang is an independent non -literary form of human language. Though scholars have argued There is no straight forward definition of slung due to its socio linguistic complexity factors surrounding its use and formation. (Eble, 1996). Different definitions of slang have describe it either on a positive or negative way. (cited in Partridge 1935:2) defined slang as a highly colloquial type of language that are considered below the level of speech of those regarded to be educated. Slangs words are used with a high degree of informality and vocabulary richness. Slang is used by specific group of people characterized by the territory they come from, subculture or age. Slang comes in a variety of ways one notable ways is through the subculture. The society keeps on changing as well as slang use. Youths are mostly fond of using and creating slang, they do so to show their own identity. Slang is a linguistic variety that cannot be separated from the social surrounding of the users Classification of slangs Slang can be classified into two that is specific and general slang. Specific slang is a slang used by a particular members of a group with the main aim of showing respect to other members of the group. They are mainly used by people who are in the same age but identified by the factors such as social status ,age , education or similar occupation. While general slang refers to spoken words used to show lack of seriousness. It is mainly used to informally...
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...Industry Culture and Subcultures Bobby Reed The industry culture of a hospital is diverse and multifaceted. There are many jobs and activities that go on behind the scenes to make a hospital run effectively and efficiently. From maintenance workers and food service personnel to the hospital’s Chief Financial Officer, a hospital’s dedication to quality and care to its patients will define its longevity and success. The culture in most hospitals is hierarchical. Hierarchical cultures are highly organized and structured. Items are primarily ranked upon the level or levels of importance (Wigmore, 2014). Each department has a specific function or responsibility. Within each department are a set of subcultures that employees tend to follow or adhere to. Hospitality services, which includes cafeteria personnel are primarily identified by their uniforms. Patient liaisons and janitorial services also fall within this culture. Their goal is to make the patient feel comfortable in any way that they can. Because they deal directly with patients, giving service with a smile is the main priority. In addition to this, I have noticed that their environment is more laid back than others. Unlike many of the other departments that wear uniforms, doctors, nurses, and other patient facing departments tend to have a subculture that is not as laid back. Because of the nature of their jobs, which can potentially mean life and death for the patients, and also being in contact with illnesses...
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