A Study Of Angela McRobbie’s Female Subculture Theory

Angela Mc Robbie,one of the most important contemporary female theorists and critics in Britain,her academic research involves culture,art,fashion and many other fields.Within this wide range of concerns,the study of female subculture is the starting point of Mc Robbie’s academic research.She advocates paying attention to the gender differences in subculture,doing everything possible to explore the real cultural experience of female subcultural groups,and to show the repressed female demands under the social norms.Female subculture research as the starting point of Mc Robbie academic research,has an extremely important role in understanding and grasping the overall idea of Mc Robbie,but unfortunately it did not cause enough attention,the existing research results at home and abroad are less,scattered and fragmented,most of them just made a simple summary and description.The comprehensive investigation and reflection of this theory is lacking,there are still some space for further study and exploration.In order to form a comprehensive understanding and dialectical evaluation of her theory,this paper explores the creative achievements of Mc Robbie in the study of subculture from three aspects: academic background,core content,significance and limitation.The main body of this article is composed of three chapters.The first chapter focuses on the background of Mc Robbie’s female subculture theory,and examines the specific context of the theory’s appearance.Mc Robbie’s research began when she was studying for a master’s degree at the Center for Contemporary Cultural Studies.To investigate the origin of Mc Robbie’s female subculture theory,we must first investigate the analysis and research of the Birmingham School of subcultural phenomena.The academic tradition of the Birmingham School’s cultural research made them pay more attention to the daily culture and way of life of the masses.The Birmingham School put forward its own theoretical point of view in the inheritance and development of traditional subculture theory.Affected by it,Mc Robbie investigated and criticized the academic achievements of other subculture researchers of the school on the basis of inheriting the resistance model of the school,and then she creatively put forward her female subculture theory.The second chapter focuses on the specific content of Mc Robbie’s female subculture theory,that is,to analyze Mc Robbie’s construction of female subculture with the "female resistance" as the entrance point.First clarify what the "female subculture" refers to in Mc Robbie’s female subculture theory,and make a clear definition of its research object.Female subculture is a special subculture type constructed by women in their own way.It is more temperate and mild,but also more fantasy and romantic.Secondly,it expounds the causes and forms of female subculture,and finally analyzes its resistant ways and destination.Thanks to the improvement of women’s income level,the enhancement of women’s independent consciousness and the development of leisure industry,female subculture had been developed and presented two different forms of existence: female participation and female dominance.Mc Robbie points out that female subcultural groups used resistance symbols such as pop music,dance and used clothing to achieve a gentle and silent "female resistance" in families,clubs,schools and other major fields,showing their unique creativity and highlighting the important role of women in the development of subculture.Unfortunately,due to various restrictions,the female subculture can only go to a helpless "compromise" after the "resistance".However,female subculture still provides effective comfort and support for the members of the female group.The third chapter analyzes the significance and limitation of Mc Robbie’s female subculture theory.Through the analysis and study of female subculture,Mc Robbie restores the true appearance of female subcultural group and highlights the value and status of women.Her female subculture theory makes up the lack of female perspective in traditional subculture research,expands the field of subculture research,and provides enlightening theoretical guidance for later generations.While this theory has multiple positive meanings,it also has its limitations that cannot be ignored.In terms of the subjects,she pays main attention to working class white women and ignores girls from other social classes and different races.In the process of research,she has influenced by her feminist identity and the variability and sensitivity of the object of observation,which made her analysis with subjective judgment and transcendentalism.Her theory is insufficient in breadth and depth.Therefore,in the analysis and interpretation of the specific female subculture phenomenon,we should carefully draw lessons from her theory,and constantly enrich and update its specific connotation based on the local context.