Threat transcendence, ideological articulation, and frame of reference reconstruction: preliminary concepts for a theory of subcultural schism

Understanding the Alteration and Decline of a Music Scene: Observations from Rave Culture1

“…If alienation and discontent from the mainstream fuels attachment to and participation in peripheral cultural entities (Anderson, 2009; Wood, 2000), it stands to reason that the reverse would also be true: increased attachment to conventional interests and activities likely produces detachment from those that are marginal. Therefore, one aspect of the generational schism, which helped alter rave culture, was Generation X’s shift, as they aged, in attachments, from the alternative, underground rave lifestyle to conventional institutions and routines.…”

“…In other words, groups claim certain EDM genres (e.g., breakbeat, drum and bass, techno) as their own and develop identities and culture around them. During my fieldwork, I saw at least four prominent subscenes, that is, techno, drum and bass, house, and break beat, excel as cultural engines (Wood, 2000). 10 Many current EDM parties are genre-specific events, catering to a particular kind of EDM and the people who like it.…”

“…What else besides commercialization explains scene transformation? With a few exceptions (Shank, 1994; Spring, 2004; Wood, 2000), the burgeoning literature on music scenes (e.g., Bennett and Peterson, 2004; Straw, 1991, 2004) has largely neglected the diachronic processes by which scenes experience alteration and decline.…”

“…10 10 Wood (2000) defines cultural engines as types of cliques that generate alternative norms, values, and beliefs in their quests for independence from original subcultures. …”

Authentic subcultural membership: Antecedents and consequences of authenticating acts and authoritative performances

“…Such tensions arise from individual and subgroup differences in background, goals, and levels of participation (Martin, 1992). For example, subcultures often consist of debates about authenticity of membership (Leigh, Peters, & Shelton, 2006;Wood, 2000), in and out groups (Widdicombe & Wooffitt, 1990;Quester, Beverland, & Farrelly, 2006), and contests over the meaning of authoritative texts (Brown, Kozinets, & Sherry, 2003;Kozinets, 2001). Cultural researchers propose that unpacking these differences will present a richer understanding of subcultures and communities (Martin, 1992;Schouten & McAlexander, 1995;Thompson & Coskuner-Balli, 2007).…”