Subcultures

The broad definition of subcultures is social groups’ that are organised based on shared interests and practices. Subcultures aim at distinguishing themselves against what they consider to be `mainstream´. They also differentiate among each other and by doing so they create hierarchies of participation, knowledge and preferences.

All subcultures share one common value; resistance against the mainstream and other contemporary subcultures. Although subcultures are distinctive in their own way, often the symbols, values and beliefs are borrowed from the larger cultures but are distorted, exaggerated or inverted to form their opinions and perceptions.

There are six key ways in which subcultures have been understood. These include their negative attitude towards work, their undecided relation to class, their association with territories such as clubs and streets rather than a household-like environment, their movement away from home into non-domestic forms of belonging, and their relation to excess and exaggeration rather than restraint and moderation.

Subcultures are largely based on image because it is one of the main ways they communicate their opinions and values. As the reading ‘Status Power and Display’ page 12 states:

"Dress can be used as an indicator of group identity, including all those who adhere to particular tenets of taste and style, but this necessarily excludes anyone who does not adopt the group’s dress codes. This can apply at street level, where subcultural groups create visual identities that reflect their ideals in opposition to those of both the mainstream and other contemporary subcultures."

An example of this is the emerge of punk that originated in Britain in the mid 1970’s. They rebelled against the convention and promoted individuality. They reflected their harsh view of society through their fashion with metal chains, controversial slogans, dog collars and distressed apparel.