Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Week 3: Girls and Subculture (Angela McRobbie)



Wikipedia defines ‘subculture’ as:

In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, 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. For example, if a particular subculture is characterized by a systematic opposition to the dominant culture, it may be described as a counter-culture.

Dick Hebdige has argued that subculture that brings together like minded individuals who feel neglected by societal standards and allow them to develop a sense of identity is a subversion of normalcy.


On the other hand, attributing the term to Theodore Roszak, the term ‘counter-culture’ is defined as “the cultural equivalent of political opposition”.

What then is the difference between subculture and counter-culture? Are they two terms for the same thing?

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