Review by Choice Review
In a timely ethnography, sociologist Wilkins (Univ. of Colorado at Boulder) explores three popular youth subcultures that seem, at first, to have little in common: goths, white wannabes in Puerto Rican hip-hop culture, and evangelical Christians. As Wilkins adeptly argues, all are demographically similar--white youths--and all respond to a cultural climate in which whiteness is considered boring and restrictively normative. These subcultures, all of which defy mainstream prescriptions in some way, help participants negotiate problems of sex, style, and status, marking themselves as valuably different while also enjoying the benefits of group alliance. Wilkins explains her own demographic position(s) often (sometimes too much), and responsibly charts their impact on her interactions with interview subjects. The ethnography is enlightening and provocative, particularly in its insightful framing of evangelical Christianity as a "subculture" comparable to goths, a group often excoriated by Christians. Accessibly written and clearly organized, this sociological study reveals the politics of identity that fuel white youths' social memberships. Overall, an admirable and important addition to the growing field of youth culture studies. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Undergraduates and above. I. Nash Western Michigan University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
