The Subcultures Reader

The only collected work of its kind in the field, The Subcultures Reader brings together the most valuable and stimulating writings on subcultures from the Chicago School to the present day.

All the articles have been specially selected and edited for inclusion in the Reader and are grouped in sections, each with an editor's introduction. There is also a general introduction to the collection, which maps out the field of subcultural studies.

Providing an essential guide to the subject, it enables students and teachers to understand how subcultural studies developed, the range of work it encompasses, and provides potential future directions of study throughout the field.

First coined in the 1940s, the term "subculture" has been applied to society's most interesting, and, often, most inventive elements. Through a collection of articles written over the last 50 years, this book traces both the history of the academic study of subcultures and the history of subcultures themselves. While you'll find the usual assortment of articles on punk rock, street gangs, and Star Trek fans, what is perhaps most interesting are the articles from the early days of "subculture studies." Two of the highlights include a piece by Paul G. Cressey on 1930s taxi dancers and their opinions on race and class, and an article by Howard Becker on the language and attitudes of jazz musicians in the early '60s. The 55 selections in this volume offer a rich spectrum of subcultures and the academic responses they have evoked.