The Research Of Stuart Hall’s Youth Subcultures Theory

Stuart Hall is a post-war neo-Lenin left Marxist theorist.As a leading figure in British cultural studies,he has expanded the field and achieved the interdisciplinary development of cultural studies.What is more,Hall has combined cultural studies with Marxism.To a certain extent,it enriches and develops Marxist cultural theory,and expands the discourse space of Marxism in the field of cultural studies.This dissertation takes Hall’s study about youth groups in British society and the youth subcultures they formed after World War II as the research object,analyzing from four aspects.First of all is the historical evolution of the Hall’s concept of the youth subculture.The concept was proposed in the formation of the British youth consumer groups and the “ceremonial resistance” of the youth subculture group after the World War II.Hall has his own unique insights on culture,subculture and youth subculture.As far as he concerns,culture is a special lifestyles of a group.For dominant culture,subculture is in a subordinate status,but it is the claim expresses of group cultural demands.In other words,youth subcultures are the basic reflection of cultural demands of youth group.Hall’s understanding of the youth subculture has undergone an evolution from the analysis of “social situation” to the analysis of “symbolic system”.Second of all is the ideological origin of Hall’s youth subcultures theory."Articulation" is a concept,theory and method that Hall introduced from the thought of representative of post-Marxism Laclaw.This dissertation uses the concept of "articulation" to analyze the ideological origin of Hall’s youth subculture theory.Firstly,by introducing of Althusser’s structuralism and ideology theory,which has realized the shift of cultural research paradigm from culturalism to structuralism.Secondly,by referring to Gramsci’s theory of cultural hegemony,Hall discovered the political significance of youth subcultures,and then realized the second turn of Birmingham school culture research.Thirdly,by embodying the critical theory and the historical materialism of Marx and Engels.The "articulation" of Hall’s youth subcultures theory and Marx and Engels’ thought has opened the door to "practical turn." Third of all is the basic content of Hall’s youth subcultures theory.Hall has indicated that in terms of existence pattern,the youth subcultures have reflected the madness of youth,the enthusiasm for pop music and the violent rebellion.In terms of class attributes,the youth subcultures have the attributes of the working class.In the meantime,it has the contradiction of dependence and resistance to working class culture and the mainstream culture.In terms of cultural traits,the youth subcultures have reflected the resistance to mainstream culture,the group identity has based on rituals,the dynamic of cultural style and the “quasi-determination” of cultural fate — “incorporation”.Last but not the least is the contemporary reflection on Hall’s youth subculture theory.As the "father of British cultural studies," Hall has considered "youth and subculture" as an important issue,which in itself illustrates Hall’s emphasis and care for the youth.Although Hall’s youth subcultures theory does not deeply criticize the institutional factors of youth subculture formation,therefore cannot fundamentally solve the real problems that young people confront.However,its emphasis and analysis on youth culture still provides significance reference to promoting contemporary Chinese youth culture,the theory and practice of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics.In the New Era,we must promote the development of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics.To develop a strong socialist culture in China,we need to use the "other" perspective like Hall’s young subcultures theory.We need to follow the principle of "memorize the original,absorb the outside,and face the future" to promote the prosperity of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics,and demonstrate the power of Marxist truth.