Introduction
A subculture defines a group of individuals different from other individuals of the same larger culture to which they belong. A subculture could either be distinct or hidden. Nonetheless, it has elements and practices that are different from those of the dominant culture. Subcultures could be differentiated from the dominant culture by their ethnic background, status, residence, religion, class, and other factors that make individuals in the subculture act in the same way. Their culture is formed by their behaviors and ideals that are different from the behaviors of individuals from the dominant culture. Subcultures tend to resist the values and norms of the larger culture. Some of these subcultures dress in a certain way as a way of identifying each other. On the other hand, subcultural capital defines the cultural knowledge and commodities that members of a subculture acquire. This knowledge and commodities that the individuals acquire help them raise their status, in addition to enabling them to differentiate themselves from other members of the dominant culture or society. This paper will seek to analyze the Skinhead Subculture and explore the concept of subcultural capital as it affects this particular subculture.
The Skinhead Subculture
The skinhead subculture originated from the working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s (Knight 2000, p.14). The name, skinhead originated from the shaving style of the members who only kept short hair. The music, fashion, and lifestyle of the rude boys and the British mods greatly influenced the first members of skinheads. Later, issues of race and politics became part of the group. The attitudes of the skinheads towards race and politics changed and they started aligning themselves as racists and identified with certain political ideologies. The subculture developed as a result of issues to do with class. This was after they started experiencing such limited opportunities as housing, education, and economic in the United Kingdom. The British’s post-war economic boom brought some income and as a result, the youths could now use this money to dress in the latest clothing fashion. During this time, various soul groups from the United States were popularizing their styles of dressing. In addition, movie actors and Rhythm and blues (R & B) groups were also leaving their mark in the fashion industry. Therefore, the skinhead subculture sought to identify with these members of the popular culture.
The skinhead subculture has evolved with time just like many other cultures. Generalizations made against the subculture by the dominant culture and the changes in the society have resulted in drastic cultural changes over the years. The individuals in this subculture wore expensive clothes and were violent. The skinhead subculture grabbed the attention of the media as a result of their football hooliganism and their gangster characteristics. From the UK, the culture spread to other parts of the world, such as the United States.
Skinheads and the Concept of Subcultural Capital
Skinhead subculture is based on style and clothing, music, racism, and political factors (Sondra 2002, para.1). Individuals in the subgroup use these cultural identities to differentiate themselves from other of the dominant culture. Their knowledge and the commodities that they have acquired as a result of identifying with the group have made them unique.
Style and Clothing
The skinheads keep their hair short. Their clothing style is also used to identify them. Since the formation of the subculture in the 1960s, the fashion of the group has evolved and the clothing that individuals from a given region prefer varies. The clothes that individuals used to wear during the 1060s at the inception of the group have also changed and new clothes have been adopted. There are different categories of skinheads with each category having some differences in terms of style and clothing.
The Trojan skinheads are the traditional skinheads that still adopt the 1960s styles in the subculture. Skinheads under the category of Oi came into being after the existence of punk rock in the 1970s. The items that the Oi category wears differ from the ones worn by the Trojan skinheads. Their hair is short and they have more tattoos than the Trojan skinheads. The Oi wear attires such as t-shirts, high boots, flight jackets, tighter jeans, and many others. In the United States, a category of skinheads by the name hardcore skinheads originated in the 1980s. if an individual in the early head skinhead supported a certain football team, the color of the bootlace was based on the club. Political skinheads wore laces that signified their affiliations or beliefs. Some of the skinheads could wear braces and sport jackets with colors that signified their affiliations or beliefs. However, the colors that individuals from different geographical regions used varied and had different meanings depending on the region that they were used. This means that one color could be used by two groups from different regions and have different meanings or two different colors used by two groups from different regions to signify the same thing. The period also mattered. A color could change its meaning with time and therefore the individuals that used the color at a particular time had a specific significant attached to the color.
Men’s hair was originally shaved with a guard not greater than a number two grade. However, the head could not be left bald (Rawlings 2000, p. 29). The style has however changed with certain categories of skinheads especially the Oi now preferring to be clean-shaven. Some categories leave sideburns that are neatly trimmed in different styles. Female skinheads had mod-style haircuts in the 1960s. The style changed in the 1980s when these ladies began to keep feather cuts. The style has short hair on the crown but the front, side, and back contain fringes. Skinheads wear short sleeve or long sleeve shirts, collarless grandad shirts, V-neck Sweaters, sleeveless, sweaters, plain t-shirts, or t-shirts containing images that are related to the skinhead subculture. The hardcore and Oi skinheads wear plain white tank top undershirts. This is most common in North America. Skinheads wear fitted blazers that are either green or black; denim jackets that are blue; donkey-jackets, monkey jackets, Harrington jackets, short Macs; overcoats; shiny suits: and many others(Knight 2000, p.30). Women wore just as men but their jackets were shorter and were worn with shorter jackets. Army surplus boots and generic workboots are also some attire that these women wore. Recently, Adidas and Salvia boots are worn by the skinheads. The individuals carried their silk handkerchiefs in the breast pocket of an overcoat or jacket. Badges worn contain images or words that are related to the subculture of the skinheads. Skinheads also adapted tattoos in the 1970s and they are now very common among the skinhead subculture.
Music
The types of music that most skinheads were originally associated with are ska, soul, early reggae, and rocksteady. The skinhead reggae genre originated from the relationship between Jamaican music and the skinhead. The white skinheads did not like the reggae music that talked about the liberation of the black people but the black skinheads supported this type of music (Old Skool Jim 2003, pgs.35). A musical union was formed that listened to rock steady, ska, pop, punk and reggae, and punk rock. This group was known as the 2 Tone. The bands that were featured in the fusion include madness, the specials, and the selector. The Oi group adopted pub rock, British glam rock, and football chants in place of punk with pub rock. British glam rock and football chants. In the US, Oil started in the 1980s. It comprised of bands like the press, iron cross, the Bruisers, antiheroes, and forced reality. They also created a link between hardcore punk music and their subculture. The Oi is very popular with skinheads today and has spread in many other parts. The Oi bands have recently combined with the British street punk and the early American hardcore. The white power skinheads developed a genre by the name Rock against Communism that did not go in line with the Oi music. Though, the favorite music for the majority of the white power skinheads is Oil music. Rock against Communism produces music that similar to the Oi and punk rock. They borrowed several new basics from rock music.
Racism, Anti-racism, and Politics
Skinheads (both blacks and whites) engaged in violence against Pakistanis and other South Asian immigrants in the 1960s. However, these black and white skinheads were not organized racists or nationalists, as a movement. The nationalist national font movement was formed and some skinheads got aligned to it in the 1970s. The movement belonged to individuals who were against non-nationalists and the minor races. Anti-racist and leftist skinheads existed in some areas such as northern England and Scotland. These were against racism in specific regions. Racism increased in the United Kingdom in the 1970s and violent cases against certain races became frequent (Knight 2000, p.34). Some as the British Movement and the National Front increased their followers so that they could fight these minor races. They only accepted skinheads from their ranks and races. Many skinheads did not allow political labels to be applied to their subculture. Groups formed in the late 1970s contained pure skinheads and this attracted the mass media and the general public who viewed the skinheads as a subculture promoting white power. The hammer skins and the blood and honor are amongst the groups that were associated with white power skinheads. Reports containing racist violence were referred to by the media using the term skinhead. This affected the perception of the public about the subculture which was viewed as a culture for the whites. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, other groups that were against Neo-Nazism and political extremism started forming. These groups also supported traditional skinheads. Antiracist organizations were also formed in the 1980s. These organizations were against racism on the minor groups by the skinheads. These movements spread in many parts and helped reduce the acts of some skinheads.
Operation of the Subculture
Individuals from the subculture wear uniquely and identify with a specific type of music. Different types of groups such as the antiracist action listen to all music as long as it is related to the skinheads. They do not choose those that relate to their races and those that promote these races but listen to all as a way of promoting peace in the regions. They criticize actions that discriminate against some minor groups in their attempt to reduce the evil associated with the skinheads.
Conclusion
Individuals that have behaviors and ideas that differentiate them from the rest of the dominant culture form a subculture within this dominant culture. In most cases, subcultures are resistant to the norms of the dominant culture. Subcultural capital defines the knowledge and commodities individuals from a subculture acquire and use to raise their culture and differentiate themselves from the rest of the culture. The skinhead subculture began in the United Kingdom and later spread to other parts such as the United States. The name originated from their shaving style because they left short hair on their heads. The subculture was originally dominated by men but it currently contains both men and women. Individuals in the subgroup have short hair and wear specific types of clothing. These differentiate them from other individuals in the dominant culture. Other factors that differentiate them include the type of music they listen to, racism, and politics. Different categories in the subgroup have differences though there are factors that are common among the dominant categories. This subculture listens to music in the category of ska, soul, early reggae, rocksteady, and many others. Some categories in the subculture have been against some races and non-nationalist where they have been violent on individuals from these groups.
Reference
Knight, N., 2000, Skinhead. London: Omnibus Press
Old Skool Jim., 2003, Trojan Skinhead Reggae Box Set liner notes. London: Trojan Records
Rawlings, T., 2000, Mod: A Very British Phenomenon. London: Omnibus Press
Sondra, C., 2002, How to Become a Skinhead. (Online). Web.