Rethinking Subculture: An Interactionist Analysis

@article{citeulike:202238, abstract = {Subculture, despite the term's wide usage in sociology, has not proved to be a very satisfactory explanatory concept. Several problems in previous subculture research are discussed: (1) the confusion between subculture and subsociety, (2) the lack of a meaningful referent for subcultures, (3) the homogeneity and stasis associated with the concept, and (4) the emphasis on defining subcultures in terms of values and central themes. It is argued that for the subculture construct to be of maximal usefulness it needs to be linked to processes of interaction. Subculture is re-conceptualized in terms of cultural spread occurring through an interlocking group network characterized by multiple group membership, weak ties, structural roles conducive to information spread between groups, and media diffusion. Identification with the referent group serves to motivate the potential member to adopt the artifacts, behaviors, norms, and values characteristic of the subculture. Youth subcultures are presented as illustrations of these processes operate.}, author = {Fine, Gary A. and Kleinman, Sherryl }, citeulike-article-id = {202238}, comment = {Alterity: http://www.zephoria.org/alterity/archives/2005/05/gary\_alan\_fine.html}, journal = {The American Journal of Sociology}, keywords = {alterity, social\_networks, sociology, subcultures}, month = {July}, number = {1}, pages = {1--20}, posted-at = {2005-05-18 02:30:45}, priority = {0}, title = {Rethinking Subculture: An Interactionist Analysis}, volume = {85}, year = {1979} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:202238 L3 - citeulike-article-id:202238 TI - Rethinking Subculture: An Interactionist Analysis JF - The American Journal of Sociology VL - 85 IS - 1 SP - 1 EP - 20 N2 - Subculture, despite the term's wide usage in sociology, has not proved to be a very satisfactory explanatory concept. Several problems in previous subculture research are discussed: (1) the confusion between subculture and subsociety, (2) the lack of a meaningful referent for subcultures, (3) the homogeneity and stasis associated with the concept, and (4) the emphasis on defining subcultures in terms of values and central themes. It is argued that for the subculture construct to be of maximal usefulness it needs to be linked to processes of interaction. Subculture is re-conceptualized in terms of cultural spread occurring through an interlocking group network characterized by multiple group membership, weak ties, structural roles conducive to information spread between groups, and media diffusion. Identification with the referent group serves to motivate the potential member to adopt the artifacts, behaviors, norms, and values characteristic of the subculture. Youth subcultures are presented as illustrations of these processes operate. KW - alterity KW - social_networks KW - sociology KW - subcultures N1 - Alterity: http://www.zephoria.org/alterity/archives/2005/05/gary_alan_fine.html AU - Fine, Gary AU - Kleinman, Sherryl PY - 1979/07// ER -