The Relationship of Identity to Age

Marxism

• Hall and Jefferson saw skinheads and punks as subcultures of resistance to dominate subculture/culture of society

Feminism

• McRobbie found girls sunculture 'bedroom culture' music,boys,makeup,celebrities etc
• Lincoln 'bedroom culture' is significant in lives of contemporary teen girls

PostModernism

• Bennett refers youth subcultures as neo-tribalism- the idea that youth are no longer forming cohesive and fixed subcultures.
• They make coonsumer choices to identify themselves for short periods with range of groups to move between fluid boundaries.

Functionalism

• Normal transition youth subcultures emerge as a way of status frustration that arises from extended period of transition of childhood-adulthood 

Bricolage: use of readily available ordinary objects to create something new

e.g safety pins for earrings

Youth subculture: groups of young people who share some cultural features which are some way (visably) different from that of a dominant subculture

Courage may influence where we shop, what we buy, and even how we pay for our goods. Our age may influence what we read, listen to, watch, leisure activities. Our everyday lives are shaped by the way our age is understood and expressed in society we live in.

Social attitudes survey (2010/2011) found that age was the strongest bonding fact when it comes to identity. Especially among the younger age groups.

  Identity and status allocated to people of different biological ages is created by society and social attitudes

E.g. in the UK old people are pushed aside, where as in Japan they are seen as more wise 

• Spend most time in this age group 
• Life conditions (health) can influence older persons sense of identity
• Retirement can bring loss of identity 
  • well off may experience drop in income and therefore is harder to establish alternate identities through leisure and consumption patterns
• Income 

Active ageing : aging is like an identity project to be worked on e.g through continuing work (if they choose too), volunteering, physical activity etc

Third age (Lasslett 1989): new generation of retired people who can find fulfillment in a prolonged 'third age' due to increased life expectancy/ economic stability. Old people can develop new lifestyles, opportunities and identities.

Ageism: Stereotyping, discriminating and prejudice against individuals or groups on the grounds of their age.

• Self concious
• Excluded
• Loss of job
• Feelings of worthlessness

Postmodernists

• More choice- increase in consumer choices, more older people are being catered to as goods and services are creating a target market around their age. This means that individuals can choose their age identity.
• Atitiudes to retirement have changed and stereotypes have been broken down