The language of youth subcultures

by Sue Widdicombe

"The Language of Youth Subcultures is an empirical examination of the accounts of members of youth subcultures, such as punks, goths and rockers. Adopting a unique combination of conversation and discourse analysis, the authors focus on the ways people use language to construct selves and identities; negotiate the meanings of subcultural group membership; account for their personal involvement and authenticity; and to characterise the relationships between individuals and groups, subcultures and society." "Their analysis is set in the context of theoretical debates concerning individual - social dualism, human agency and the nature of self and the social group. The authors examine critically various conceptual resolutions to these issues from both more traditional and postmodern perspectives. The Social Identity approach, social construction and the death of the unified subject all come under critical scrutiny, as does New Subcultural Theory. Throughout, the authors point to the kinds