Week 3 – subculture texts analysis
The readings for this week all show a different perspective on the topic of subcultures and fandoms.
Henry Jenkins described subcultures as a way that people express their own identities in his piece ‘Textual Poachers’. This links with Kabas’ point that ‘subcultures create meaningful identities by means of their consumption rituals’. For me, subcultures are communities that people feel that they belong in and as result they subcultures become a part of a person’s identity and they positively view that subculture.
However, people who are not a part of a particular subculture may not view it positively. Some people view subculture as a way of people acting out and against societal norms. Kabas describes subcultures as a response ‘ to ideologies opposing or conciliating mass culture’. Another reason why people may have negative views of a subculture, even if they have never had any interaction with somebody from that culture is because of the way that the media represents a subculture. The media, whether through films are news items, tends to show subcultures that don’t conform to social norms in a negative light. This is supported by Kabas’ point that ‘subcultures are accused of threatening the middle-class existence’ and that the media treats ‘subcultures as threats directed to the stability and ethical (or physical) health of society and define them as ‘unsocial deviant groups’.’
McRobbie’s and Garber’s text on the relation between girls and subcultures highlights the lack of representation of girls being a part of subcultures and states how ‘girls are necessarily, more marginal[ised]’ than boys within subcultures. When reading this piece it made me think about how girls are represented and shown within the subcultures than I know about or feel connected to myself. One subculture where there is a lack of female representation is the emo/ pop punk subculture – a subculture in which I find myself belonging. As Kabas stated ‘music is crucial’ within this subculture. However, there are very few female musicians within the subculture and even fewer female lead bands. One of the more famous/popular bands in this subculture is Paramore, a pop punk band led by female vocalist Hayley Williams. However, despite the band’s success, it has been hard for the band to have the same opportunities as less successful male led bands. For example, Paramore were asked to perform at the Warped Tour, an annual countrywide travelling tour where hundreds of pop punk bands would perform. However, although they had one of the most successful album releases for three albums in a row, they were only given a place on the much smaller female artists stage. For me, this is an example of one way that girls are marginalised by a hegemonic power structure within a subculture.
I think it is important to read about different perspectives and theories about subcultures because, personally, I had never thought about women and girls being marginalised in a subculture until I read McRobbie’s and Garber’s piece.
Texts
https://files.coventry.aula.education/707941530e31f0856d9e2743a74f7c71kabas.2017.todays_subcultures.pdf Kabas, 2017
https://files.coventry.aula.education/f2a0f40046caa233337983dc2c259641mcrobbie_garber.1975.girls_subcultures.pdf McRobbie and Garber, 1975
