Social workers' knowledge and understanding of contemporary music youth subculture

Abstract

Subcultures are social groups with distinctive behavioural patterns and beliefs than those of the dominant culture. The aim of this research is to analyse the current social work knowledge and understanding of specific subcultures: contemporary music youth subcultures, as there is an evident lack of studies in this regard. This aim is achieved through two separate inquiries which are ultimately compared and contrasted for the purpose of generating the results. Our first (quantitative) study consists of seventy questionnaires distributed to social workers for the purpose of elaborating on their current knowledge and understanding of these subcultures. The second (qualitative) study consists of five semi-structured interviews held with members of a particular contemporary music youth subculture (the Metal subculture). The data collected from the social work respondents is then compared and contrasted with that collected from the subcultural members. The findings produced illustrate that social workers showed a lack of appreciation with regards to various subcultural issues which were held as integral by the interviewed members. Therefore, given the evident need for further familiarisation with these social phenomena, our study suggests practical ways through which social workers may become more knowledgeable with regards to contemporary music youth subcultures.