The document discusses representations of youth subcultures in 1980s Britain as depicted in the film "This is England". It explores how the working-class skinhead subculture originated as a reaction to the political and economic climate of the time, including rising nationalism, Thatcherism, deindustrialization, and increased immigration. The film portrays the skinhead youth as aggressive, violent, and disenfranchised from society due to lack of employment opportunities and family/community structures in Britain at the time. It also examines how Shane Meadows uses these representations to convey the ideologies of the era.

1. This is England
Youth Subculture Representation

2. • How the media represent groups of people in different ways
• How these representations can be seen as different to historical
representations of the same groups

4. YOUTH SUB CULTURE:
SKINHEADS
Youth sub cultures are a product
of the era in which produces
them. They are born out of the
politics and events of their era or
as a reaction to these things.
ERA: 1980‟S BRITAIN
• Falklands: whole country
swept up in nationalism.
• Thatcherism: ‘self’ over
‘community’. Goes against
working class values of
community
• England deindustrialising under Thatcher –
mines and steel works closing.
Massive unemployment.
Working class especially affected.
• Multiculturalism – immigrants
into the UK.

5. HOW IS THIS YOUTH SUBCULTURE REPRESENTED:
Gather evidence from the film.
HOW IS THIS YOUTH SUB CULTURE A PRODUCT OF ITS ERA?
You have some knowledge about how the youth sub culture originated and what was going
on in England at the time.
Remember that sub cultures are usually a reaction to what is going on in society.

6. Although clothing styles cannot be said to be straightly political,
the concern of the traditional skins to stay true to their roots
was most visibly emphasized in their insistence on the right kind
of clothing and the right kind of music. Skinhead culture, like any
other subculture, is still ultimately about being in the company of
likeminded people. Their outer appearance was just one way of
expressing to the others that there was a group in existence.
The traditional skinheads were working-class. They outer appearance was visibly masculine, hard and also
aggressive. Their short hair represented their proletarian (working class) attitudes and also
differentiated them from the “feminized” hippie man of the 1960s (Brown 160).
When most people hear the word “skinhead” they immediately think of a bold, rough looking person with a
white pride ideology. Although this might be true in most cases of today‟s world, the Skinhead Movement
did not begin as a right wing racially motivated phenomenon. Instead, according to various sources, it
began in the late 1960s as a multicultural movement which modelled itself on mod culture. Whereas the
mods were sharply dressed in expensive suits and upwardly mobile, the skinheads wanted to return to the
roots of the mod culture and represent the working class.
In addition to mod culture, the rising skinhead culture received its inspiration from the Jamaican
immigrants who modeled themselves on the rude-boy look of the Kingston ghettos of Jamaica (Brown 157).
The roughness of the Jamaican culture and the cleaner, stripped down version of mods combined resulted
in the look that became to be called with the term skinhead.
The original skinheads were proud listeners of Jamaican black music and also proud friends of the
immigrants. They were the face of the working class.

7. (The) second-wave skinhead […] appeared alongside the punk scene from 1976. In the United Kingdom, this
was a period of economic decline and increased immigration and, given their territorially defensive
predisposition, skinheads quickly became a target for recruitment by racist movements, such as the
National Front and the British Movement, that were gaining momentum at the time. This racist strand of
the skinhead movement was associated with
the use of Nazi symbols and Oi! Music. (190)

8. This signifies that the youth at this
time have been portrayed negatively
and violence and aggression is a key
highlight to their personality.
Another idea that could come along
with this is that youth have no
respect for their elders as it is shown
in this part of the clip.
This signifies that he has no fear against the police
and indicates to the audience that he has nothing to
lose, especially after he has lost his dad. It also
connotes that he has parts of his dad’s personality as
his dad was aggressive and was in the military and
he shows signs of his dad’s aggression.
Shaun is seen
reading a magazine
in the corner shop
and is told to leave
unless he is going
to buy it otherwise
the Police will
arrive and says he
does not care
This reinforces the idea
of the area that Shaun is
being bought up in and
that the community has
no morals and just
constantly have
aggression within their
personalities.

9. Representations of youth / sub
culture:
The idea of working class Britain is
furthered here as Shaun uses violence to
sort his problems out. This could be due
to the fact he is grieving the loss of his
father and simply loses his temper, but
violence and aggression as a way of
solving problems is also a stereotypical
feature of the working classes.
In these shots youth is depicted
as cruel (to each other) and
bullying is highlighted as an issue.
Shaun is bullied because his
clothes are out of fashion which
signifies the importance of
fashion to youth sub cultures.
In the next scene , Shaun
is bullied at school
because of his flared
trousers and a comment is
made about his dad. He
jumps on the bully and
hits him.
•
•
•
•
Violence / aggression
Family / sense of community (area live in)
Working class
Skinhead sub culture
These shots have further
connotations of Shaun‟s
isolation from any group. We
have yet to see him in a
friendship group.
•
England in the 80’s
•
The ideologies of Shane Meadows

10. Representations of youth /
sub culture:
I found it interesting that
when viewing this scene, I
immediately felt
apprehensive for Shaun as
approaching a group of
youths in such a confined
space is intimidating and I‟m
so accustomed to the
stereotype of youths hanging
around, waiting to „start on‟
innocent passers by. The
representations of this
group are immediately
favourable then as instead of
mocking or trying to hurt
Shaun, the group try to make
him feel better and even
befriend him.
•
•
•
•
The stereotype of British working class is
of „grafters‟ or hard workers, but the
youth in this film are just hanging around.
This could be due to unemployment during
this era, but most likely, the youth within
this film are avoiding the responsibility
that comes with unemployment.
After Shaun is punished at
school, he walks home
through an underpass and
meets the skinhead group
for the first time. They ask
him what’s wrong and try to
make him feel better.
Violence / aggression
Family / sense of community (area live in)
Working class
Skinhead sub culture
In these shots, the audience‟s
first impressions of the group
are formed. Woody in
particular, is the first
friendly character in the film.
•
England in the 80’s
•
The ideologies of Shane Meadows

11. This connotes that youth can
be entertained and amused by
the most pointless things and
have nothing better to live for
than to waste time in a gang
drinking and smoking.
By them smashing up the
abandoned home, it reinforces
the idea of their personality
being very aggressive and
always violent.
The stereotype of the working class is contrasted
in this scene as the members of the gang should
be working as they are old enough but are
entertaining themselves by smashing up an
abandoned house. This signifies that youth can’t
take responsibility in their own actions which is
why they choose to entertain themselves
through drinking and smoking and doing things
like smashing up abandoned homes.
Shaun goes home after
the gang didn’t help
him to feel better but
Gadget comes to his
house and invites him
out where they start
smashing up an
abandoned home.
The working class are
signified as irresponsible
as they cannot take
responsibility in working
so they find other ways
to entertain themselves.

12. Through this scene the family aspects
of the 80’s are portrayed as negatively
as the conversation that is heard
between Shaun and his mother, is
negative and a lot of swearing is said
by Shan signifying he has no morals
and is constantly aggressive.
This signifies that youth do not care about family life or
listen or respect their elders as they do whatever they
want and don’t tell their parents where they are and
return home whenever they want. It also signifies the
family culture of the 1980’s and connotes that the
females are not strong as Shaun has no father figure and
his mother isn’t too fussed about where he is.
Shaun returns home
late and slowly walks in
as he knows his mum
will be angry, She
invites him into the
room and they talk
about why he is late
home and they discuss
what the issue is at
home.
This signifies the family
and sense of community
back in the 80’s as the
community dictate when
kids go home rather than
the family. Also connotes
that family’s aren’t as
diverse as they are now
and not all families are
close.