This book explores for the first time the punk phenomenon in contemporary China. As China has urbanised within the context of explosive economic growth and a closed political system, urban subcultures and phenomena of alienation and anomie have emerged, and yet, the political and economic differences between China and western societies has ensured that these subcultures operate and are motivated by profoundly different structures. This book will be of interest to cultural historians, media studies and urban studies researchers, and (ex-) punk rockers.

Explores the unknown world of Chinese subcultures Identifies the ways that urbanization and post-Tiananmen politics have engendered new "urban tribes" in China Offers insights into the ways that independent creatives can find an economic means of survival within the post-socialist economy

Autorentext

Jian Xiao, with a PhD from Loughborough University, works at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou. Her research interest is focused on media and cultural studies.

Inhalt

1. Introduction: context, method and theoretical framework.- 2. Punk in China: History, artefacts, and blogs.- 3. The biographical approach: The story of a Chinese punk musician.- 4. The path to punkhood, and being a punk.- 5. Punk performance, hangouts, and alternative norms.- 6. Boundaries and identity: Understanding online punk practices.- 7. A comparison between Indonesian and Chinese punks: Resistance, hangouts, and DIY.- 8. A comparison between Portuguese and Chinese punks: A genealogy, style and space.- 9. Conclusion.