Subcultures: The Basics is an accessible, engaging introduction to youth cultures in a global context. Blending theory and practice to examine a range of subcultural movements including hip hop in Japan, global graffiti writing crews, heavy metal in Europe and straight edge movements in the USA, this text answers the key questions posed by those new to the subject, including: What is a subculture? How do subcultures emerge, who participates and why? What is the relationship between deviance, resistance and the 'mainstream'? How does society react to different subcultural movements? How has global media and virtual networking influenced subcultures? Is there a life 'after' subculture? Tracing the history and development of subcultures to the present day, with further reading and case studies throughout, this text is essential reading for all those studying youth culture in the contexts of sociology, cultural studies, media studies, anthropology and criminology.