For the term in biology, please see Subculture (biology).

In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a set of people with distinct sets of behavior and beliefs that differentiate them from a larger culture of which they are a part. The subculture may be distinctive because of the age of its members, or by their race, ethnicity, class and/or gender, and the qualities that determine a subculture as distinct may be aesthetic, religious, occupational, political, sexual or a combination of these factors.

As early as 1950 (p.361) David Riesman distinguished between a majority, "which passively accepted commercially provided styles and meanings, and a 'subculture' which actively sought a minority style...and interpreted it in accordance with subversive values" (Middleton 1990). In other words, subcultures are groups of individuals who, through a variety of methods, present themselves in opposition to the mainstream trends of their culture. If the subculture is characterized by a systematic opposition to the dominant culture, then it may be described as a counterculture.

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NPR Topics: Politics & Society

A Tale of Two Democratic Primary States
Fri, 16 May 2008 18:37:00 -0400
The upcoming Oregon and Kentucky primaries are near perfect illustrations of the two separate wings of the Democratic Party. Affluent, green and antiwar Oregon is expected to support Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. Kentucky's rural, blue-collar population will help New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Obama's Cash Machine, Built in Silicon Valley
Fri, 16 May 2008 19:40:00 -0400
For Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, Barack Obama's youth and relatively short resume is a plus. That's the premise of a feature article by Joshua Green, author of an article in The Atlantic titled "The Amazing Money Machine: How Silicon Valley Made Barack Obama This Year's Hottest Start-Up."
Gay Marriage May Affect the 2008 Election
Fri, 16 May 2008 16:51:00 -0400
The last time a state Supreme Court ruled gay marriage legal, it was Massachusetts in 2003. The fallout helped Republicans boost turnout in 2004 and hold the White House. Times have changed since then, but it remains to be seen how big the issue could be for Republicans in 2008.

The Talk of the Town

Over Not Out
Hendrik Hertzberg Mon, 12 May 2008 04:00:00 -0000
When the polls closed in Indiana and North Carolina last Tuesday evening, a lot of Barack Obama supporters braced themselves for bad news. Their candidate had just gone through a harrowing month, divided neatly in two by his thumping in the Pennsylvania primary. He had been repeatedly gored by a . . .
Mamet Talk
Lillian Ross Mon, 12 May 2008 04:00:00 -0000
The playwright and screenwriter David Mamet was in town recently to talk about his new film, “Redbelt.” He sat patiently for an interview on a white wire chair in the sculpture garden of the Museum of Modern Art, one of his favorite haunts. He wore orange-rimmed glasses, a black . . .
Fly on the Wall
Adam Gopnik Mon, 12 May 2008 04:00:00 -0000
Yasmina Reza, the French playwright (“Art,” among other works), was in town last week, talking about her newly translated book on Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President, entitled “Dawn Dusk or Night.” Sarkozy allowed Reza, a newcomer to political journalism, to trail his steps and record his words--hour by hour . . .

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