Hey Guys!
Iv found an article:
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0011128791037004007
(you may have to log into shibboleth to see it)
The article may not be entirely relevant to our experiment but provides a lot of information about why subcultures (here specifically punk and metal) are not just apolitical leisure.
if you don't really want to read it, it basically describes how musical subcultures, (primarily in the USA) are no longer seen as "sanctioned generational conflicts". Rather, they are now being monitored by hospitals, police and other agencies seeking to "protect" both the youth and the community. This is because Punk and Metal subcultures are now seen by these institutions as gateways to drugs, violence and antisocial behaviour.
The most unbelievable part of the article is where the author describes the creation of a story of a young boy who liked heavy metal, had a messy room and dressed in ragged clothing but had no sign of mental health or drug related problems. The story was then reiterated to 14 hospitals where they asked the professionals whether they would admit him on just this information. 83% said they would. This is pretty good evidence as to why subcultures are more than just music, the way outsiders react to them is extremely political, because defying cultural norms has meant that there is a presumption that individuals who engage in this behaviour must also be part of a group of authority hating drug addicts.
I know this may seem a bit like an unrelated rant but I think the main points of the article are relevant to our experiment. Just as subcultures defy norms we are going to defy norms within particular subcultures! The fact that subcultures can be kind of demonised by outsiders I think puts a context to what we are doing and just displays how they aren't just apolitical leisure.
Hope all is well! :)
-Charlotte
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