Subculture: The Meaning of Style (New Accents)

Book Description

`Complex and remarkably lucid, it's the first book dealing with punk to offer intellectual content. Hebdige is concerned with the UK's postwar, music-centred, white working-class subcultures, from teddy boys to mods and rockers to skinheads and punks.' - Rolling Stone

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Resource.......2006-03-14

Hebdige's book is an excellent text that is enjoyable and informative to read. It is academic and poetic all at once, mirroring certain aspects of the self-conscious scene he describes. He takes on the challenge of recording both the history and method of cultural creation and change in Britain, and leaves the savvy reader at a good place for interpreting later subcultural movements (US punk & hardcore, for example). I would say this is an essential read for the student or layman interested in subculture (past and present) or the history of punks, skins, etc.

Buy this book........2005-04-04

Professor Hebdige is a genius, and contrary to the other review he immersed himself in "this scene." He grew up right in the middle of the movement in England and witnessed firsthand the events and shifts that the book covers. He is a brilliant professor at UCSB and to take his class is an experience like no other. Reading this book is only a glimpse into the mind of one of the world's most exceptionally brilliant and artistic men.

Lacking in-depth analysis.......2003-10-01

This book lends itself to the idea that some subjects are best written about when one has experienced them first-hand. Lauraine LeBlanc's book Pretty in Punk, for example, offers an academic AND an experiential view of the movement. Hebdige could have benefited by letting more members of the subculture speak for themselves in his book or if he had actually lived in a subculture scene. While it is important to maintain some distance between your subject and yourself, too much distance leads to too many gaps and too much assumption. Although I enjoyed reading the book and think it is a good brief overview of many subcultures and styles, it might have been better to dedicate a separate book to each subculture and their particular style rather than trying to encompass them all in such a small space. The result would have been a more in-depth study of each group instead of a stereotypical glossing over - to understand the style one needs to understand each group more in-depth. I need to read his latest version to see if he addresses some of these issues.

fun, interesting, complex.......2003-08-15

this book takes an awesome and serious look at punk as a social and cultural phenomenon, and examines the roots that made punk into what it was. it is a very enlightening read, but is the kind of book you must read in the front and the back at the same time to have it all sink in. hebdige uses a number of endnotes throughout the book, which made me have to jump back and forth to understand what he was saying. i think a second reading would provide an even deeper understanding-- there were definitely times on the first read when i had to reread passages. i definitely recommend this book and have greatly enjoyed it.

Art Primer.......2002-02-06

This book is fundmentally the the bases for anyone who is studying art theory. This books goes into how subcultures like the punk movement to hip hop and gang cultures got started and why they are important to understanding diverse social structures.

Book Description

An Essential Tool For Soldiers and Civilians Working in Afghanistan. Survive and thrive with Accent on Afghanistan Pashto! Learn useful phrases and vocabulary, Afghan culture—history, geography, people, food, religion, and customs—plus ""Do's and Don'ts"" for interactions with Afghans! Includes: • Illustrated Flash Cards. The words you need, with both the Pashto script and pronunciations, plus simple pictures of everyday occurrences—just point it out! The cards come in an easy-snap 3-ring binder. • Audio CD of the vocabulary, recorded with a native speaker of Afghan Pashto. • Cultural Notes Booklet: Get an overview of Iraq, especially of important customs and crucial etiquette. • Quick Reference Guide: The laminated foldout card covers more than 350 essential words and phrases in Arabic and English. Accent on Iraq comes from Accent on Languages, a company providing translation and interpretation services to the federal government since 1997. With over twenty years' experience with foreign language audio programs, Accent on Languages tailored this product to the special needs of military personnel in Iraq. Although designed for soldiers, anyone going to Iraq can use this program!

Customer Reviews:

Well worth the money.......2007-05-09

I speak several language and have a language identifier (French: 3 & a 2++). I bought this as a place to start & I am impressed with the quality and functionality of this book. It comes with an audio cd, a culture guide, cards/pages with the phrases covered in the CD, a culture guide and a laminted pocket card of all of the phrases.
It all fits neatly into this waterproof little binder that fits easily inside your ACU side cargo pocket. The CD is well done as is the book and it is easy to take with you. I have already started chatting with the local nationals here in Bagram that I come in contact with. Sure, it's not Rosetta Stone, but internet connectivity can be very slow here and this little book can go anywhere with you. I like the book so much that I have ordered the Iraq Arabic version & pre-ordered the DARI version. And let's face it, the culture guide is useful because many Americans have never been outside the US, and really don't know that Haji is meant to describe someone that has been to Mecca on pilgrimage, and it should only be used as a term of respect. Grab a copy of these little books while they are still available. They are great- a good quality, common sense product. Finally, something actually written with soliders in mind! I am delighted with this book!! AAA+

This will get you started........2007-01-29

Good as an introduction to Pashto. The Rosetta Stone series is better, yet it is much more expensive. The topics covered here (travel, greetings, food, numbers, etc) are sufficient for someone who has no previous knowledge of the language, this is clearly geared toward teaching soldiers and relief workers. It does include some commands, military terms and ranks. I agree with the other reviewer, the "DOs and Don'ts " are really geared toward complete idiots, it's almost embarrassing that advice like "Don't call everyone you meet 'Hajji'." would need to be dispensed to an American headed overseas. Overall the CD and flash cards are very easy to use together and (unlike some other language courses I have used) the native speaker on the CD is very clear and easy to understand in his pronunciations. The fact is, you can't learn a language just from a dictionary or phrasebook and this set gives you that little bit of an edge to get started with Pashto. You won't find yourself having lengthy conversations or hosting a Pashto discussion group, but you'll have some basics and, if you are in-country, hopefully this will be enough to get you by. I would buy this again, it's well worth what you pay for it...but if you are planning on mastering this language, you might look at other options.

Moderately Useful Phrasebook Package.......2006-12-29

Language portion is limited, but is packaged well. The 'Do's and Don'ts' are unfortunately aimed at the brain-dead though and don't really get into any useful information. Overall, the guide is written for junior soldiers operating in the field, and gives some limited vocabulary. A bit pricey ($26.95 at AAFES) for what you actually get, but a decent multi-media package for the military.

With a Southern Accent (Library Alabama Classics)

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With a Southern Accent (Library Alabama Classics)
Viola Goode Liddell
Manufacturer: University Alabama Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Shakespeare Without Women (Accents on Shakespeare)

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Shakespeare Without Women (Accents on Shakespeare)
D. Callaghan
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

History | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0415202329

Book Description

Shakespeare Without Women is a controversial study of female impersonation, and the connections between dramatic and political representation in Shakespeare's plays. In this exhilarating and challenging book, Callaghan focuses on the implications of absence and exclusion in several of Shakespeare's works:

*the exclusion of the female body from Twelfth Night
*the impersonation of the female voice in the original performances of the plays
*racial impersonation in Othello
*echoes of the removal of the Gaelic Irish in The Tempest
*the absence of women on stage and in public life as shown in A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Accent on Privilege: English Identities and Anglophilia in the U.S

Average customer rating:

Just wanted to counter first reviewer who didn't read it
America's love affair with all things british?

Accent on Privilege: English Identities and Anglophilia in the U.S
Katharine W. Jones
Manufacturer: Temple University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Emigration & Immigration | Administrative Law | Law | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1566399009

Book Description

Accent on Privilege looks at the complexities of immigration, asking how native and immigrant construct race, gender, class and national identity. Katharine Jones investigates how white English immigrants live in the United States and how they use their status as privileged foreigners to gain the upper hand with Americans. Their privilege, she finds, is created by both American Anglophilia and the ways they perform their identities as "proper" English women and men in their host country. Jones looks at the cultural aspects of this performance: how English people play up their accents, "stiff upper lip," sense of humor and fashion—even the way they drink beer.

The political and cultural ties between England and the US act as a backdrop for the identity negotiations of these English people, many of whom do not even consider themselves to be immigrants. This unique exploration of the workings of white privilege offers an important new understanding of the paradoxes of how class, gender, and race are formed in the US and, by implication, in the UK.

Customer Reviews:

Just wanted to counter first reviewer who didn't read it.......2003-03-02

Contrary to Mr. Spinelli's assertion, not all Anglophiles are leftists; that's simply a ridiculous propostion. I, for instance, am VERY conservative and I admire England and aspects of the English charater GREATLY. To the extent America is a successful nations it is because of our ties to England (compare former English colonies to those of Spain, Portugal, Germany, France, etc.) it is to them that we owe our concept of a government of checks and balances, of juries, of civil rights, etc. Further, all REALLY good dog breeds come from England or were perfected there (e.g., the Labrador Retriever) and most of the worlds most widely played sports are English or of English origin (e.g., soccer, football, rugby, baseball, cricket) etc. Mr. Spinelli needs to lighten up. I regret to see that England, and the UK more generally, is leftward leaning and seems to have sucumbed in some measure to the same PC idiocy that infects the US and therefore even they seem to attack the wonder of their own histopry. Nevertheless, it' difficult to know something of English history and not be somewhat of an Anglophile, IMHO.

America's love affair with all things british?.......2001-12-29

What the author failed to address in her book when she touches upon the issue of "America's love affair with things british" is the "type" of person in America, who, in fact, is an anglophile. In America, only those who are hard line left eltitists (socialists)--and some archaic right wing snobs from a by-gone era--express anglophilia tendencies; this group is often well-represented in the media and Hollywood which may be the reason why the author assumes it's a "national" obsession. The truth is, few Americans are concerned with the "culture" and happenings of a tiny island that has long lost any of its world importance. Besides, england has successfully latched onto the United States in many ways, one of which is to virtually claim all successes of America's as its own. Thererore, "things british" are in most cases "things American."

Mechanic Accents: Dime Novels and Working Class Culture in America (Haymarket)

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peering out into the darkened theater

Mechanic Accents: Dime Novels and Working Class Culture in America (Haymarket)
Michael Denning
Manufacturer: Verso
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

ASIN: 185984250X

Book Description

A second edition of this pioneering study. Mechanic Accents is a widely acclaimed study of American popular fiction and working-class culture. Combining Marxist literary theory with American labor history, Michael Denning explores what happened when, in the nineteenth century, working people began to read cheap novels and the "fiction question" became a class question. In a new afterword, Denning locates his study within the context of current debates on class and cultural studies.

Customer Reviews:

peering out into the darkened theater.......2002-04-20

Mechanic Accents is an ambitious attempt to examine urban working class America at a pivotal moment in its industrial transformation, through the commercial and literary lenses of the nineteenth century dime novel, or cheap serialized fiction. Denning begins by describing the economics of dime novel production -- the 'culture industry' of pulp fiction -- and the experiences of dime novel authors, churning out thousands of words a week on salacious and exciting themes lifted from the news of 'real life'. This analysis demonstrates the difficulties of capturing and understanding the audience for these novels even for the contemporary writers producing them: essentially, the only way these writers had of understanding the values and experiences of the people they were writing for was the feedback of the marketplace -- what sold. Examining the evolution of narratives and characters, not just over the course of successive serial installments or sequels, but in the recollections and re-tellings of these stories by the readers themselves, Denning is able to discern changing attitudes towards work and the emerging working class, as well as aspects of class and national socialization -- both from within the emerging working classes as well as among the capitalist middle classes.

Book Description

Questioning the myth that Britain consists of a homogeneous people, this collection of essays explores a wide range of critical debates on cultural identity in Britain. With analysis of ways of teaching, as well as reading British culture, this lively and provocative collection is an ideal introduction to this contentious area. Essays cover key issues, such as terminological distinctions between British Studies and British Cultural Studies, the complexities of national cultures and identity in contemporary Britain, models for studying the history and development of conceptions of "Britishness," as well as the study of contemporary Britain in other countries. The contributors to this volume have all been instrumental in establishing British Studies internationally and share the idea of culture as a plurality of discourses, rather than a fixed, unitary concept.

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Cultural Accents
Ronke Luke-Boone
Manufacturer: Krause Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Sewing | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0873496019

Book Description

Ethnic influence meets contemporary design in this new guide from Ronke Luke-Boone, author of African Fabrics. Using popular sewing and crafting techniques such as stenciling, stamping, linoleum block printing, dyeing, and embroidery, readers will learn to apply global symbols to numerous projects, including pillows, shams, table runners, tiles, towels, napkin rings, baby blankets, and more.

Crafters will create beautiful home decor and personal accessories while learning the traditions behind the symbols of such diverse cultures as Chinese, African, Native American, and Asian and European.

Book Description

What makes us the people we are? Culture evidently plays a part, but how large a part? Is culture alone the source of our identities? Some have argued that human nature is the foundation of culture, others that culture is the foundation of human identity. Catherine Belsey now calls for a more nuanced, relational account of what it is to be human, and in doing so puts forward a significant new theory of culture.
Culture and the Real explains with Professor Belsey's characteristic lucidity the views of recent theorists, including Jean-François Lyotard, Judith Butler and Slavoj Zizek, as well as their debt to the earlier work of Kant and Hegel, in order to take issue with their accounts of what it is to be human. To explore the human, she demonstrates, is to acknowledge the relationship between culture and what we don't know: not the familiar world picture presented to us by culture as 'reality', but the unsayable, or the strange region that lies beyond culture, which Lacan has called 'the real'.Culture, she argues, registers a sense of its own limits in ways more subtle than the theorists allow.
This volume builds on the insights of Belsey's influential Critical Practice to provide not only an accessible introduction to contemporary theories of what it is to be human, but a major new contribution to current debates about culture. Taking examples from film and art, fiction and poetry, Culture and the Real is essential reading for those studying or working in cultural criticism, within the fields of English, Cultural Studies, Film Studies and Art History.

Accent of Success, The: A Practical Guide for International Students

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if only it had been available then...

Accent of Success, The: A Practical Guide for International Students
Eric Shiraev , Gerald L. Boyd , and Gerald Lee Boyd
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0130866172

Customer Reviews:

if only it had been available then..........2001-10-25

dr. shiraev's and dr. boyd's book, which i have recently read alongside a few other books on giving advice to international students coming to the united states in order to reccommend a work for friends of mine planning to come to study in the states, is by far the best that i have come along. it poignantly addresses all the issues of importance for a foreign student, leaving little to be desired, without being patronizing or attepting to prescribe receipies of how one is to manage once arrived. maybe it is the unique or if not unique: successful combination of a foreign and domestic point of view, that manages to be very precise and diligent in sketching out that, which is to be expected by those who come from cultures that are both very different, but also seemingly similar. indeed, as a german, i have found out that the seeming similarities of western countries contribute much to the skewed expectations of students that culminate often in a rude awakening, often without knowing why. it is often less important to be pointed towards the obvious, after all, if i had come to the us from myanmar, or swaziland, i would have known very well THAT i was to expect great differences and hence would have been more aware of them. even at the danger of being redundant: in my opinion the danger or difficulty is more often, that differences are not obvious and thus not expected. these subtle differences, different attitudes not perceived up front, the accumulation of otherness in often miniscule details are put forward in a way that i would have very much appreciated being told when i came to the us. unfortunately, then the book had not even been conceived. alas, now it exists - and i would not reccommend any other book but this to anyone coming to the us, in particular those 'familiar' with the western or european lifestyle.

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