Youth culture - gender and ethnicity Flashcards
(31 cards)
What gender do most theories of youth focus on?
males
Thornton (1995) points out that because girls had less disposable income
marrying earlier and earning less than their male counterparts
What does Thornton argue girls invest their time into compared to boys? doing well at school
while boys were investing time and money in music magazines and going out
[Gap fill] ‘______________’ culture is often looked down on by those with ________________ __________
and when a style moves from being _________________ to being mainstream
What does Hollands (1995) argue?
Social significance and meaning of ‘going out’ has transformed from a simple ‘rite of passage’ to a more permanent ‘socialising ritual’ for young adults due to shifts in economic and cultural life
What did Willis (1972) find out about Anti-school subcultures?
Young white working class males believed school was irrelevant to their lives as they don’t need qualifications for manual work which they perceive as superior to academic work. Resistance to the power of the school led to them to fail and have no choice but to move into working class jobs anyway
Messerschmidt (1993)
Demonstrates some of the major failings of previous attempts to explain why criminal behaviour is primarily a male act. talks about the over-reliance on sex roles. This leads to a perspective steeped in biological reductionism.
What does Messerschmidt question?
“why do men offend so disproportionately?”
What are the strengths of research into males and subcultures?
+ Takes past studies into account and suggests improvements.
+ Messerschmidt notes that race and class are important and he compares different groups.
+ Messerschmidt reviews feminist perspectives which shed light on both gender and crime.
+ Willis followed a group of lads which gave first-hand information.
What are the weaknesses of research into males and subcultures?
- Studies are quite old and can be outdated.
- Messerschmidt’s study only examined white boys therefore it is problematic as it cannot be used to generalise.
- Does not always resolve key questions such as the interactive effects of gender
Holland (1995) Males and females in Newcastle overview
He argues that there has been a massive increase in the number of women in Newcastle that go out more
What were the differences that Holland (1995) found between boys and girls?
Boys took up more public space and found the community pub an important space as there were no women there. Girls were moving into the public sphere and socialising in exclusively female circles and going out in large groups of women
What were the strengths of Hollands research?
+ He used Ethnography providing a holistic understanding of behaviour
+ Feminist sociologists would approve of the research as females were included
What were the weaknesses of Hollands research?
- Ethnographic research is low in reliability and difficult to repeat
- The study was completed in Newcastle only so the findings cannot be generalised
Who studied the Ragga girls?
McRobbie
Where did the Ragga girls originate from?
1980s Jamaica
What were the Ragga girls like?
Wore short tight and expensive clothes they were increasingly reclaiming public space and experiencing more social and economic opportunities
What are the negative aspects of the Ragga girls?
- They indulged in sexual dancing which may be their version of autonomy but it gained the wrong type of attention
- They focused more on how they looked and their dancing abilities so would neglect their education and this would hinder their success in the future
Cambell (1984) Research
Studied gangs in NYC for 6 months and focused on the role of female gang members. She used ethnography and found young women join gangs to compensate for their low status.
What stereotype did Campbell find to be inaccurate?
The stereotype of gangs being comprised mainly of young males who hang around street corners
What did Campbell find females to be like in the NY gangs?
Full gang members and treated with respect. Women were expected to carry knives guns and fight alongside men. They had traditional views on their sexual activity and children were raised within the gang culture
The Sandman Club
Puerto Rican Gang. Finances were dependant on selling drugs males bought the drugs and females divided them and sold them. Money was given to the “Connie” (most senior female) in the gang to be kept safe
What are the strengths of Campbell’s research?
+ Gangs were studied and observed directly so the primary data is likely to be high in validity
+ Unstructured interviews allowed Campbell to build a rapport and achieve verstehen
What is the weakness of Campbell’s research?
- Ethical issues such as lack of fully informed consent or deception
