The Lads in Action
Social Process in an Urban Youth Subculture
David Moore(Editor)
Ashgate Publishing Limited
Published on 28. April 1994
Book
Hardback
192 pages
978-1-85742-567-3 (ISBN)
Description
This anthropological account of an urban youth subculture is based on a participant observation study in Western Australia. The study examines the day-to-day lifestyle of Perth skinheads, an exported and modified version of the original English youth subculture. The focus is on the construction of English ethnicity in multicultural Australia. The work begins with a critique of existing studies of youth and ethnographic method. It then analyzes the meaning of skinhead expressive activity for the skinheads themselves, in terms of the anthropology of social process. After dispensing with the static concept of "gang" in favour of a framework of process, the text explores the meaning of visual and performatives style for skinheads, interaction between skinheads and the members of other youth subcultures, the significance of drinking, and the public and private representations skinheads make about the young women with whom they form relationships. The book outlines the role of "memories" - the stories of past exploits which skinheads tell one another - in the creation of the skinhead's categorical and personal identity.
The author examines these issues in the light of extensive ethnographic material and concludes by presenting a model of social processes which shape this urban lifestyle and which underpin the social groupings which characterize and constitute urban youth scenes. These young men and women are not encountered in the vast literature on youth. This book should be of interest to the general reader and to the specialist in urban anthropology, the sociology of youth, cultural studies and popular culture.
The author examines these issues in the light of extensive ethnographic material and concludes by presenting a model of social processes which shape this urban lifestyle and which underpin the social groupings which characterize and constitute urban youth scenes. These young men and women are not encountered in the vast literature on youth. This book should be of interest to the general reader and to the specialist in urban anthropology, the sociology of youth, cultural studies and popular culture.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
bibliography, index
Dimensions
Height: 219 mm
Width: 153 mm
Weight
380 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-85742-567-3 (9781857425673)
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Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Content
The setting; scenes, venues and eras; the meaning of visual style; ritual violence and symbolic solidarity; sociability and youth subcultures; drinking and the construction of ethnicity; skinhead relationships with young women; "memories" and the creation of identity; social process and youth subcultures.