Goths, Gamers, and Grrrls: Deviance and Youth Subcultures introduces students to the sociological study of deviance, equipping them with the theoretical tools necessary to analyze various youth subcultures--and virtually any subculture--in new and fascinating ways. In this revised and updated third edition, author Ross Haenfler examines eight different youth subcultures in depth: skinheads, punk rock/hardcore/straight edge, hip hop, heavy metal, virginity pledgers, Goths, gamers and hackers, and riot grrrls. Each chapter begins with a brief description and history of the scene before exploring a specific sociological concept or theory.

Goths, Gamers, and Grrrls: Deviance and Youth Subcultures introduces students to the sociological study of deviance, equipping them with the theoretical tools necessary to analyze various youth subcultures--and virtually any subculture--in new and fascinating ways. In this revised and updated second edition, author Ross Haenfler examines eight different youth subcultures in depth: skinheads, punk rock/hardcore/straight edge, hip hop, heavy metal, virginity pledgers, Goths, gamers and hackers, and riot grrrls. Each chapter begins with a brief description and history of the scene before exploring a specific sociological concept or theory.

A concise and engaging supplementary text for introductory sociology courses and any course that covers popular culture, youth, or deviance. This unique volume introduces students to the sociological study of deviance, equipping them with the theoretical tools necessary to analyze various youth subcultures - and virtually any subculture - in new and fascinating ways." Author Ross Haenfler opens with an introduction that provides an overview of subcultural theory, a definition of the concept of resistance, and explanations of various theories of deviance and delinquency. He goes on to examine eight different youth subcultures in depth: skinheads, punk rock/hardcore/straight edge, hip hop, heavy metal, virginity pledgers, Goths, gamers and hackers, and riot grrrls. Each chapter begins with a brief description and history of the scene before exploring a specific sociological concept or theory. Topics addressed include symbolic interactionist theory, status hierarchy, the role of style and politics in music scenes, enacting race and gender, moral panics, positive deviance, social stigma, the components of a virtual subculture, and more.

Subcultures: The Basics is an accessible, engaging introduction to youth cultures in a global context. Blending theory and practice to examine a range of subcultural movements including hip hop in Japan, global graffiti writing crews, heavy metal in Europe and straight edge movements in the USA, this text answers the key questions posed by those new to the subject, including: What is a subculture? How do subcultures emerge, who participates and why? What is the relationship between deviance, resistance and the ‘mainstream’? How does society react to different subcultural movements? How has global media and virtual networking influenced subcultures? Is there a life ‘after’ subculture? Tracing the history and development of subcultures to the present day, with further reading and case studies throughout, this text is essential reading for all those studying youth culture in the contexts of sociology, cultural studies, media studies, anthropology and criminology.

This book provides a sociological examination of gender issues concerning the status of women in the subculture of heavy metal. The study specifically analyzes how women are perceived to ‘do gender’ in the heavy metal community, which is known for its hypermasculine qualities. Relying on interviews with fans of heavy metal, the respondents describe their own music (sub)culture as having been dominated by men, but they also note distinct signs of the progress women have made in the heavy metal culture on terms aspiring to equality with men. Despite these changes, gendered conditions driven by masculinity continue to exist for women in heavy metal. Even as women are slowly finding their way to develop what might one day become, but as of now not yet is, a realized identity and culture of heavy metal feminism, patterns of masculinity continue to hamper gender equity in this area of popular culture.

This timely second edition remains essentially the same in overall organization and chapter layout and titles. New to the book is updated data and facts from empirical research and government and agency reports. Some information in some chapters was retained from the first edition if it was deemed still relevant and interesting. The definition of deviance has been modified to be more in line with standard understandings of the term which frequently describe deviance as violations of social norms. The word “differences” remains part of the definition and implies differences in attitudes, lifestyles, values, and choices that exist among individuals and groups in society. The concept of deviance is no longer treated as a label in itself, also placing the definition of the term more in alignment with its standard usage. The title of the book remains the same and “tradition” still implies the book covers areas that have long been addressed in deviance texts such as addictions, crime, and sexual behaviors, to name a few. The term “stigma” is retained for two reasons: it is in honor of Erving Goffman, a giant in the discipline of sociology who offered much to the study of differences, and it is used to accentuate the importance of societal reaction in a heterogeneous society. In this updated edition, every attempt has been made to respond to input from colleagues and students concerning text content and writing style. Chapters still include “In Recognition” or comments that honor scholars whose research and professional interests are related to the chapters under study. Effective case studies are again included in the chapters. Considerable effort went into decisions of what was to be added, changed, maintained, and deleted from the first edition, resulting in meaningful modifications throughout the book.

The definitive guide for people wanting to make a positive difference in the world.