What is subculture/gang culture/cultural diversity?

What is subculture?

A subculture is a distinctive group within a culture that adopt certain norms and values which differ from the mainstream culture.

What makes a subculture different from mainstream culture?

Though a subculture is a part of the mainstream culture, a subculture chooses to stand out by adopting more extreme fashion and listening to different music or even exhibiting extreme behaviours. They divide themselves from certain aspects of mainstream culture and adhere to their own set of rules due to a general distaste of the modern society in which they live.

What is a spectacular culture?

Spectacular subcultures are dramatic subcultures which were popular in the 60s and 70s. They were extremely distinctive in their fashion and behaviour. They dressed in flamboyant and highly visible style and had confrontational attitudes.

Why do subcultures tend to form?

They tend to form due to some form of alienation, or a reaction to the status problems or inequalities in society. Adolescents tend to be the main age group to form subcultures.

Mods

• London in 1958

• Listened to music like: modern jazz, soul, rhythm and blues, ska, jazz, freak-beat

• Wore tailor made suits

• Drove scooters: Lambretta and Vespa

• Formed by teens who rejected the dull and old fashioned British society.

• Represented the changing nature of British culture

• Influenced by post-war immigration, mainly from the Caribbean

Rockers

• Biker subculture, rode motorbikes which they modified themselves

• Rise in working class youth

• Influenced by American pop music

Punks

• Born out of punk rock

• Anti-consumerist, anti-establishment

• Non conformity and individual expression

• Body modification, offensive clothing, brightly coloured hair, spiked hair

Skinheads

• Working class youth in London during the 1960s

• Due to social alienation and working class solidarity

• Shaven heads, working class clothing e.g. steel toe boots, braces, high rise straight jeans, button down collar shirts

• Expression of alternative values

• Elements of mod and Jamaican rudeboy

Gang culture

What typical norms/values/roles/statuses exist within our society in general?

Members of our society hold specific statuses and are expected to fulfil the roles which are attached to that status. For example, most fathers are expected to provide both guidance and income for his family,…