Abstract

Much sociological research has focused on the exertion of power, while the subfield of subculture studies has preferred to engage in the study of resistance to power. Acknowledging recent conceptualizations of resistance (and Einwohner 2004; Raby 2005), this chapter considers the relevance of subcultural studies in theorizing resistance, specifically by highlighting three dimensions along which the concept may be mapped: passive – active; micro – macro; and overt – covert. Reviewing research from the 1970s through the
2000s to show examples, I develop a conceptualization of each dimension, treating them not as sets of binary pairs, but rather as continua that co-exist and overlap.  My goal is to move beyond a typological approach to resistance by encouraging other resistance scholars to critically engage with these dimensions and to use, modify or reject them as we build a pragmatic theory of resistance’s usefulness and consequences.

Read full article:

Patrick Williams (2009) The Multidimensionality of Resistance in Youth-Subcultural Studies, in Resistance Studies Magazine, 2009#1.

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