Theoretical Concepts of Youth Culture and Subculture

The purpose of the study of youth culture is to understand the lifestyles and ethics or principles that are followed by the adolescents, which is ultimately responsible for shaping up their future. The culture is defined as the shared symbol that is used to describe the typical lifestyle habits that exist within a community. The youth belonging to the same culture is supposed to have common developmental pathway that defines their future. The subculture of youth defines a unique and distinct style and behavior that they follow.  The current study aims to analyze the existing literature related to that of the youth culture and sub-culture that is relevant to their lifestyle and behavior. In conclusion, the existing gaps of the literature along with the recommendations for future study will be provided.   

The study of Blackman (2005) has suggested that the ideas of post-modernists have been hired from that of the theoretical concepts that are provided by Max Weber, Jean Baudrillard, and Michel Maffesoli. It is important to focus on the social structure of individual community that will help in the matter of critical thinking and formulate a well-balanced social theory.

According to the Marxist theory of youth culture, it is essential to understand the underpinned issues of oppress the needs of the adolescents. It also suggests that the lack of power within the working class of the society is one of the major issues that can deny the cultural rights of the youths (Agger 2014). There is also the Miliband’s interpretation, which suggests that most of the economic and political context needs to be accounted to understand the role of media and its influence on the youth culture.

In the context of the modern global youth culture, it is essential to analyze the hybrid nature of the youth culture that can help in the matters of providing detailed information related to the youth study. With the increasing popularity of films, television shows and contemporary music, the youths are engaging in more number of cultural activities. According to Hazlehurst (2018), it is essential for the social culture analyst and theorists to understand the values of each culture in the lifestyle and development of the youths. With the advancement of globalization, the youths of the modern days can get the opportunity to broaden up their concepts. This is mostly due to the information that is available to the public. The Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies can emphasize upon the hegemonic and generational concepts related with that of the diverse subcultures among the modern youths.     

Global Youth Culture

According to the views of progressive postmodern diversity, hybridized cosmopolitanism, and proliferation of voices, youths can be empowered by the elements of culture and subculture. This can be achieved by providing new type of cultural opportunities. The modern Global youth cannot also be separated from the critique of political economy. The Global culture is also attempting to replace many local beliefs among the youths of minority communities. This is achieved with the view of Universal and liberal support. This can also be linked with geopolitical countries that are needed to understand most of the important matters related to that of the globalisation.

The main purpose of sociology study in youth subculture establish relationship between the everyday experience and that of the contemporary theories. According to Moje (2016), the parent’s occupation and education level play an important role in deciding upon the elements of youth culture. It is important to mention that in spite of globalization in the modern days there are significant difference between societies across the world that can result in the formation of different type of Youth Culture and subculture. The difference in the education system is one of the major cause of the difference in the cultural elements. It is essential for the sociologists to understand the difference within the education system of each community that will help them to better evaluate the impact of education among the youth in the society.  Gavrilyuk et al. (2016), have agreed upon the viewpoint that most of the education system before in the Western Community compared to that in sub-continental areas. This is evident from the difference in the social class that exists within each of the community in Western and Eastern region.  

The example of Punk subculture in England society can be mentioned in the given context. The unemployment that occurs within the Punk subculture affected the education level of the youths. There was also high level of social Indifference in 1970s that affected the cultural and intellectual growth of youths belonging to Punk subculture.

One of the main purposes of the Global culture is to understand the difference in ideas in each of the youth subculture. The Global culture also seeks to attempt to understand the difference in the cultural aspects and thereby apply the ideas in development of the modern society. According to Omenugha et al. (2016), the process of globalisation has brought about both opportunity and threats to various types of local Youth Culture and subculture. The globalisation is believed to have the power to exponentially increase the element of imperialism, which can highlight up on the drawbacks in each Youth Culture. The social-cultural analyst has studied on the impact of globalisation on the youth cultural element in developed countries and it has helped to bring about the changes within the mind-set of modern youth across various Global communities. People across various communities have a strong opinion that transforming to adulthood is highly challenging in the modern context. This is mainly due to the high level of political influence that is common to various culture and subculture in global community. Nevertheless, Giroux (2016), has argued that with the popularization in democratic culture most of the youths across the global society are able to improve upon the level of awareness in understanding various aspect of society. They are also able to motivate themselves to take part in an important position in the global society. The higher level of cultural awareness can also be developed within the youth by the element of democracy. This can help them to improve their level of awareness within the youth society. This is also one of the major issues that can help to deal with most of the cases related to that of the modern society. The social inequality that exists across various society can also be resolved as youths can improve their level of cultural awareness. This is mainly possible because the youths will now be able to distinguish the cultural elements in each of the cases. Hence it will be possible to make the difference between the positive and the negative aspects of the culture.

Impact of Youth Culture and Subculture on Modern Society

The modern media invest a significant amount of time within the element of empowering the youth and identifying their influence over the society. With the advancement of consumerism within the society, the youth had a major impact on their lifestyle. According to Nayak (2016), the modern media portrays the concept of youth as the source of empowerment that promises a bright future for the Global community. Lukose (2014), has highlighted upon the fact that the modern media uses the youth as one of the sources of inspiration that are needed to promote the cultural values within each Global community. The press even promotes the cultural need of youth in order to make business profit and bring about economic development. Buckingham et al. (2015), have argued up on the fact that most of the global communities have the power to understand the facts related to that of the development of Youth Culture. This is one of the essential elements that can help in the matter of understanding the new cultural trends that are occurring within the modern society.

The contemporary youth are believed to have a significant impact on the fast changing global society. This is evident due to the fact that with the advancement of internet technology and information age, the modern youth with their advanced culture and subculture can bring about significant positive changes within the society. This may even include changing the mind-set of adults by incorporating rational thinking ability. Jeffs (2015), has mentioned that the rational thinking capability of the modern youths has brought about vast improvement in the thinking aspects of the youths. The advanced level of Youth Culture is also believed to have significant positive impact in removing all types of social trends.  

The modern generation is also aware of the inequalities that exist within the society, which is believed to be the main social stigma. With the improvement in the source of availability of information, the youth are able to better understand the need for modern society. This is believed to have a positive impact upon the future of the global society, where it is expected to have higher level of harmony.

On the other hand, Smakotina and Kornienko (2016), have argued upon the fact that advancement of information age the youths are also able to make misuse of the same. This is evident from the increased rate of crimes that are offering among adolescents individual. The advanced level of Technology is providing them with the opportunity to involve in criminal activities including hacking, getting involved in drug and other addiction activities. Hence, in the given context one of the primary duty of social culture analyst is to identify the negative impact of the modern society that can have on youths. This will help to ensure the less hateritism is developed in the society that can have positive impact on the overall Global community for future development. 

Conclusion, Gaps and Recommendations for Future Study 

The current literature has been able to effectively highlight the impact of Youth Culture and subculture within the modern society. This idea can be related to the various theories related to the Youth Culture and subculture. Nevertheless, with the advancement of modern society the impact of the traditional theories was not properly applicable.

The gaps in the existing literature are mainly because it has not been able to relate the ideas of modern youth with the practical impact. It has also not able to highlight upon the negative impact that the future generation of Youth Culture and subculture may face. It is recommended for the future researchers to understand the trends within the youth culture and subculture. This will help them to predict all type of future change and their impact on the society of globalization.

Reference

Agger, B., 2014. Cultural studies as critical theory. Routledge.

Blackman, S., 2005. Youth subcultural theory: A critical engagement with the concept, its origins and politics, from the Chicago school to postmodernism. Journal of youth studies, 8(1), pp.1-20.

Buckingham, D., Bragg, S. and Kehily, M.J., 2015. Rethinking youth cultures in the age of global media: a perspective from British youth studies. Diskurs Kindheits-und Jugendforschung, 10(3).

Gavrilyuk, T.V., Garabazhii, V.A., Gaisina, L.M., Gabdrakhmanova, L.N. and Burenina, I.V., 2016. The Dynamics of the Global Youth Subcultures and Movements: the Russian Context. Global Media Journal.

Giroux, H.A., 2016. Stealing innocence: Youth, corporate power and the politics of culture. Springer.

Hazlehurst, K., 2018. Gangs and youth subcultures: International explorations. Routledge.

Jeffs, T., 2015. Innovation and youth work. Youth & Policy Special Edition No. 114: The Next Five Years: Prospects for young people, pp.75-95.

Lukose, R.A., 2014. Youth and Globalization: Changing Trajectories of Culture and Politics. In Youth Cultures in the Age of Global Media (pp. 37-52). Palgrave Macmillan, London.

Moje, E.B., 2016. Youth literacy and cultural theories: A review of the science and implications for policy. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 3(1), pp.70-76.

Nayak, A., 2016. Race, place and globalization: Youth cultures in a changing world. Bloomsbury Publishing.

Omenugha, K.A., Uzuegbunam, C.E. and Ndolo, I.S., 2016. Celebrity culture, media and the Nigerian youth: negotiating cultural identities in a globalised world. Critical Arts, 30(2), pp.200-216.

Smakotina, N.L. and Kornienko, O.Y., 2016, January. System of education and value orientations of youth. In SHS Web of Conferences (Vol. 29). EDP Sciences.