Subcultures as Cultures of Resistance

Author:

Sean Ahern (Colby-Sawyer College)

Abstract:

The Center for Contemporary Cultural Studies at the University of Birmingham thought of subcultures not as a problem to be solved, but as a culture of resistance to be respected. In this paper I investigate subcultures as cultures of resistance, arguing that they use class structures and racial backgrounds to create a world that is hidden amongst the larger society, and in doing so create a perception of danger that gives power back to the powerless. More specifically, I analyze three historical examples: London's Mods, Los Angeles' riginal Gangsters, and California's Zoot-suiters, looking at how they each reacted to the larger society by creating a subculture that regenerates their own power.