ABSTRACT

This chapter looks at only a few of the reasons why people joined, stayed, and quit the skinhead movement. It describes only a small number of racist skins'—and practically none of the non-racist skins'—motivations to join. Racist skinheads, and some non-racist, exhibit characteristics which align themselves with traits of what referred to as the authoritarian personality. Most of the individuals interviewed for the research that exhibited a tendency to embody the qualities that M. R. Gottfredson and T. Hirschi identified—regardless of gender, racist or non-racist identity. R. W. Connell points out three main themes that run through the skinhead scene: hegemony, subordination, and marginalization. Hegemony shows up in discussions of who are a true skin by racist and non-racist skins—each stating that they have the claim to the true heir of the right to call themselves a skin. Marginalization is a structure that runs rampant in the skinhead community. For racist skins, marginalization takes place against minorities, women, and Jews.