Youth Cultures and Subcultures

The term youth is a subjective term, used to describe the major life stage of individuals somewhere between children and adults. The definition of “youth” has varied over time based on biological measures, legal, political, and institutional standards, as well as social expectations. What has not varied, however, is the importance of studying youth cultures and subcultures. Youth are a social group in and of themselves; thus, studies of youth culture are important for examining how youth navigate their social worlds and formulate their social identities, facing similar structural and cultural pressures as adults do but having differing [Page 864](and fewer) economic and political resources to rely on. Over time, youth subcultures develop as subsets of youth emerge with their own names and identifying features.