Hebdige Theory

Dick Hebdige

Dick Hebdige is a British media theorist and sociologist, and a Professor of Art and Media Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His work is commonly associated with the study of subcultures, and its resistance against the mainstream of society. His current research interests include media topographies, desert studies, and performative criticism. Hebdige has written extensively on contemporary art, design, media and cultural studies, on mod style.

What is his theory  

The Hebidge theory comes out of Dick Hebdige’s book Subculture: The meaning of style. The book focuses on the UK’S youth subcultures. Drawing from Marxist theorists, literary critics, French structuralists, and American sociologists, Hebdige presents a model for analysing youth subcultures. While Hebdige argues that each subculture undergoes the same trajectory, he outlines the individual style differences of specific subcultures, such as Teddy boys, mods, rockers, skinheads, and punks. Hebdige emphasizes the historical, class, race, and socioeconomic conditions that surrounded the formation of each subculture.

Representation of youth

In his book Hebdige argues that how youths were represented in the 70’s was extremely limited and they are either seen as trying to cause trouble or seen as having fun and there is no in-between. He also goes on to mention that the media representation of youth was not actually reality. 

Acland Theory

Acland theories represents youth as being delinquent and this enhances hegemony. This is done by the ideal of ‘norm’ adult and youth behaviour. This contrasts deviant youth behaviour.

Representation of media

He believes that the way the media represents of young people allows the state to control them. This is known as the ‘ideology of protection’ idea that youths need to be constantly watched.

Effects of these representations

Acland’s theory effects the representations as the adults see youth as all being reckless and they have to keep enforcing that these actions are bad. This si to enforce the hegemony of how they should not behave when they reach adulthood. This means that there will be more negative stories about youth in the media. 

Giroux Theory

Giroux Theory (1997)

Representation of youth

Giroux views show how the youth are mistreated within media. Describing them as an empty category explains that adults don’t understand what it is like to be a youth in this generation. Therefore they just but their own ideas into this empty space of what they believe their representation is.

The effects

Media involving just adults therefore greatly effects these representations. The adults do not want their generation to look bad therefore uses teenagers as a scapegoat.

The role of media representations in society

By looking at this theory we are able to see that the representation of youth is moulded together through what adults believe and think. This then leads to uprising of stereotypes through the media and also cause moral panics. When all of this has just been created through hegemony and the media raining down their ideas.

A2 powerpoint

Production Pitch by Raffy Rice on Scribd

Looking for an Actor

For my production I need to have a specific type of person who is able to play the main role of my protagonist. I will need someone who is able to be willing to be laughed at whilst being laughed with as my production is a mockumentary. I will also need someone who is into football and has been surrounded by these 'football hooligans' that I am trying to capture and paint an image of.


To play this role I think my partner for this production, Joe Parker, would be perfect for the role as he has been surrounded by football for the best part of his life so he understands the bases of what I am trying to do and has a clear image in his head of the picture that would be perfect to create. He would also know what to say and how to act when portraying the serotype of a football hooligan as he knows exactly what they're like and how they act.