Anthropologies of the 20th Century Youth Cultures - YBLS030

• Title: Anthropologies of the 20th Century Youth Cultures
• Guaranteed by: Programme Liberal Arts and Humanities (24-SHVAJ)
• Faculty: Faculty of Humanities
• Actual: from 2025
• Semester: winter
• E-Credits: 4
• Examination process: winter s.:
• Hours per week, examination: winter s.:0/2, MC [HT]
• Capacity: unknown / unlimited (30)
• Min. number of students: 5
• 4EU+: no
• Virtual mobility / capacity: no
• State of the course: taught
• Language: English
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Note: course can be enrolled in outside the study plan; enabled for web enrollment
• Guarantor: Mgr. Martina Vuksan
• Teacher(s): Mgr. Martina Vuksan
• Class: Courses available to incoming students

Annotation

English

This course explores subcultures and countercultures of the 20th century through an anthropological lens and examines how these movements emerged in response to dominant power structures, social transformations, cultural changes, and ideological shifts. From the Beat Generation and the Hippie movement to Punk and Underground, students will analyse how these youth cultures shaped identity, resistance, and a broader cultural change. A central theme of the course is the interplay between individuals and collective action: how people within these movements transformed themselves and their surroundings, often redefining societal norms in the process. Special attention will be given to charismatic figures who acted as both leaders and symbols of the movements and played a key role in shaping subcultural and countercultural identities.

Last update: Vuksan Martina, Mgr. (02.08.2025)

Czech

Tento kurz zkoumá subkultury a kontrakultury 20. století antropologickou optikou a zkoumá, jak tato hnutí vznikla v reakci na dominantní mocenské struktury, sociální transformace, kulturní změny a ideologické posuny. Od beat generace a hnutí hippies až po punk a underground budou studenti analyzovat, jak tyto mládežnické kultury formovaly identitu, odpor a širší kulturní změnu.

Last update: Novotná Obeidová Dina, Mgr. (04.09.2025)

Course completion requirements

Students will be evaluated based on the following points:

1.     Regular course attendance and active participation (50%)

2.     Preparation and discussion during the final class (10%)

3.     Final PowerPoint presentation on a chosen youth culture of the 21st century during the examination period (40%)

Last update: Vuksan Martina, Mgr. (02.08.2025)

Literature

Recommended:

• Cherstich, Igor, Martin Holbraad, and Nico Tassi. . Anthropologies of Revolution: Forging Time, People, and Worlds. Oakland: University of California Press, 2020, s. ISBN .
• Firth, Simon. Horne, Howard. Art into Pop. London: Routledge, 2017, s. ISBN .
• Kerouac, Jack. The Beat Generation: The Lost Work. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2006, s. ISBN .
• Allen Ginsberg. Best Minds of My Generation: A Literary History of the Beats. London: Penguin Books, 2018, s. ISBN .
• Laing, Dave. One Chord Wonder: Power and Meaning in Punk Rock. Oakland: PM Press, 2015, s. ISBN .
• McLeod, Kembrew. The Downtown Pop Underground: New York City and the Literary Punks Renegade Artists DIY Filmmakers Mad Playwrights and Rock “n” Roll Glitter Queens Who Revolutionized Culture. New York: Abrams Press, 2018, s. ISBN .
• Smith, Patti. Just Kids. New York: Ecco, 2010, s. ISBN .
• Weight, Richard. Mod! A Very British Style. London: Bodley Head, 2013, s. ISBN .

Last update: Vuksan Martina, Mgr. (29.09.2025)

Syllabus

The course is structured around key themes drawn from the book Anthropologies of Revolution: Forging Time, People, and Worlds (University of California Press, June 2, 2020). 

During the course, we will focus on the following 3 chapters:

1) Revolution as Event (Chapter 1): With an aim to explore how ritual theory as a framework for understanding revolutions can be applied to youth cultures. We will critically examine the ways in which youth cultures function as historical events and ritualized acts of collective transformation.

2) The Revolutionary Leader (Chapter 4): With an aim to analyse charismatic figures and collective leadership within subcultural and countercultural movements. We will explore the authors’ notion that leaders in these movements are both “one with the people and one of the people” (Cherstich, Holbraad, and Tassi, 2020, 97.)

3) Revolution and Ideology (Chapter 5): With an aim to explore how youth cultures were influenced and shaped by changing ideologies. We’ll focus on the ways in which political ideas and cultural movements interacted to create new forms of expression and resistance. 

COURSE PLAN:

PART 1): INTRODUCTION

Class 1. Course overview and an anthropological perspective on understanding the 20^th century youth cultures.
Class 2. Introduction to the book Anthropologies of Revolution: Forging Time, People, and Worlds and the three chapters the course activities will be based on.

PART 2):  REVOLUTION AS EVENT - Transformation with lasting effects on participants and societies

Class 3. Grunge youth culture and the “Seattle Sound” (1980s & 1990s)
Class 4. Punk & alternative culture in socialist Slovenia (1980s)
Class 5. Hip-Hop culture in New York (1970s & 1980s)

PART 3): REVOLUTIONARY LEADER - “One with the people and one of the people”

Class 6. Allen Ginsberg and the Beat Generation (1950s & 1960s)
Class 7. Patti Smith, Richard Hell, and the New York punk (1970s)
Class 8. Malcolm McLaren & the Sex Pistols (1970s)

PART 4): REVOLUTION AND IDEOLOGY

Class 9. The Hippie movement (1960s)
Class 10. Prague Underground (1970s)
Class 11. Teddy Boys & the Mods (1950s & 1960s)

PART 5) WRAP UP AND PREP FOR EXAM

 Class 12. Reflection on key events, and individuals and their works, discussion on the questions Can the youth cultures of the 20^th century be considered as revolutions or not? Why yes or why not? Insight into the 21^st century youth cultures of students' choices, applying concepts of revolution as per the to the book Anthropologies of Revolution: Forging Time, People, and Worlds to the 21^st century youth cultures. For this class, students will be asked to compare a 21st century youth culture of their choice with the learnings from the previous classes. Students are welcome to select any of the 3 discussed chapters for the 21^st century youth culture of their choice. This class is a preparation for the exam.

Last update: Vuksan Martina, Mgr. (27.08.2025)

Registration requirements

Please register for this course only if you are committed to fully attending. If you do not plan to attend, kindly leave the spot for students who are genuinely interested in the topic.

Important: Students who register but do not attend will not be eligible to pass the course.

Last update: Vuksan Martina, Mgr. (02.08.2025)