Two Theoretical Models of Subcultural Anger: Synthesizing Subcultural Theory with the Sociology of Emotions and Exploring Anger in Hip Hop

This article synthesizes subcultural theory with elements from the sociology of emotions. Two theoretical models are developed. In the first, young people form subcultures on the basis of feelings of injustice. Subcultures give expressive form to authentic anger and express resistance. In the second, young people use subcultures to explore non-normative feelings, but this does not mean that they are actually angry, nor is the formation of subcultures based on shared structural position. The analytical value of the models is illustrated through a dialogue with a virtual ethnographic material (debates, interviews, music videos, documentaries, pictures, album covers etc.) focusing on hip hop. It is argued that the two models are not mutually exclusive but can strengthen our analytical sensitivity when it comes to understanding youth subcultures that might be resistant, but at the same time resist being fixed into the position of ’angry youth’.