Locations and areas can bind a subculture to its "parent" culture. Youth subculture is a fraction of the subordinate working-class "parent" culture dominated by the middle or upper class cultures. Subcultures can be seen as revolutionary movements somewhat in an attempt to solve the problems posed by material and social class position. Nevertheless, at the same time the subcultures may be diffused and coerced by its dominant parent culture through strong links.
Now that we have looked at the meaning of a culture and a subculture lets move on to the key factors, which effect in particular youth subculture. Age well in terms of youth subculture age is one of the key identifying elements. Youths identify with one and other based on similar age and life experiences. Youth subcultures tend to comprise of teenagers ranging from twelve or thirteen to mid twenties. Gender is another identifying element with a clear male and female membership. Finally class, it is very difficult to position people according to specific class i.e. working, middle, or upper class. While subcultures exist for all the class's youth subcultures tend to be greatest in relation to the working and middle classes. Subcultures " express and resolve, albeit magically, the contradictions which remain hidden or unresolved in the "parent" culture (Cohen, 1980, 82-3).
"Youth subcultures" form on the terrain of social and cultural life. Some are regular and persistent features of their parent culture while others only appear at certain historical moments commanding the stage of public attention until they fade or disappear or are diffused so much so that they lose their distinctiveness due to hegemony or total social authority.
How do the factors of gender and class effect youth subculture? Males tend to form subcultures with other males, as do females with females. Male youth subcultures tend to be an expression of masculinity whether it is based on sport (soccer, rugby, motor sports etc) or the ill famed "culture of delinquency" which tends to be a criminal subculture in rebellion at the system.
