Youth (Sub) cultures in Changing Societies
Tallinn University, Estonia, 2-4 February 2011
Rapid technological developments, structural changes in the society and economic uncertainty influence lifestyles of young people. One of the possibilities for identification and belonging is participation in different youth cultures. Youth (sub)cultures are oriented towards choices in music, style, sports or politics, but at the same time determined by structural circumstances. As the media tends to focus on their negative aspects, distinctive youth lifestyles have often been associated with deviance. The latter is especially the case in Eastern Europe, where the society has for a long time been understood as homogeneous, and where a plurality of lifestyles has only recently began to surface.
The conference investigates the impact of choices and structural restrictions on youth cultures in times of social change. The main focus is on the question whether youth cultures are deviant or only distinctive lifestyles. Other questions concern, e.g., the role of youth cultures in multicultural society; the status of different youth (sub)cultures; and the changes that international subcultures undergo when being diffused to new societies what do they tell about the host society?
Keynote speakers:
Ross Haenfler Deviance and Youth Subcultures
Paul Hodkinson New Media and Youth Cultures
Hilary Pilkington Youth Cultures in Eastern Europe
Mikko Salasuo New and Old Approaches to Youth Cultures: The Scandinavian Case
The subject of the conference can be approached from different perspectives. In the 21st century, youth cultures are more diverse than ever, and all papers shedding new light on the topic are welcome. Selected papers of the conference will be published in the journal Studies of Transition States and Societies in a special issue on youth cultures.
Abstracts (max. 200 words), should be sent by e-mail to Maarja Kobin airi-alina.allaste@tlu.ee.