ABSTRACT
Youth cultures have been the subject of extensive academic research and writing for many years and scholarship in this area has included some of the most well known studies and theorists within the disciplines of sociology and cultural studies. In the early twenty-fi rst century the cultural patterns and pursuits of adolescents continue to be the subject of intense research and debate. Originally inspired by the intense and fascinating discussions which took place at the ‘Scenes, Subcultures and Tribes’ international conference (University of Northampton 2003), this book represents an attempt to further inform and invigorate this important area of study. The chapters outline and engage with core areas of debate in relation to a variety of examples of contemporary theory and research. Our aim is to critically assess established approaches to the subject at the same time as demonstrating ways in which we might adapt and move on from them in the study of young people’s life-styles in the early twenty-fi rst century. While it is impossible to do justice to the rich and varied range of existing youth cultural research in a single chapter, this introduction provides a context for those which follow by offering a critical discussion of some of the most infl uential perspectives and points of debate.
