This article presents a case study of the surfing subculture in Australia as evid ence that some collective reactions to the process of postmodernisation can actually be detrimental to the status of women. The circumstances under which this has occurred in the surfing subculture are outlined, and possibilities for a feminist reaction to developments like those in the surfing example are discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Australia's Surfing Life Morrison Media Services, North Burleigh, Qld.
2.
Tracks Mason Stewart Publishing, Darlinghurst, NSW.
3.
Underground Surf Australian Publishing and Printing Company, North Ryde, NSW
4.
Waves Mason Stewart Publishing, Darlinghurst, NSW.
5.
All Down the Line 1990, Maclean, NSW, Paul Witzig Ultra Vision.
6.
Asian Paradise 1976, personal collection, no cover details.
7.
Crystal Voyager, 1975, Enterprise Pictures, a Tracks Motion Picture, Australian Film Development Corporation.
8.
The Endless Summer 1964, Bruce Brown Films.
9.
The Endless Summer II 1994, Bruce Brown Films.
10.
Morning of the Earth 1972, David Elfick, Australian Film Development Corporation.
11.
On Any Morning 1974, Rodney Sumpter.
12.
Playgrounds in Paradise 1978, Alan Rich Films, Twentieth Century Fox.
13.
Surfmovies 1981, Albie Thoms Productions.
14.
Wave Warriors III 1988, personal collection, no cover details.
15.
Ball-Rokeach, S.J., and M.G. Cantor (1986) 'Introduction: The Media and the Social Fabric ' in S. J. Ball-Rokeach and M. G. Cantor (eds) Media, Audience and Social StructureNewbury Park: Sage: 10-12.
16.
Baudrillard, J. (1983) 'The Ecstasy of Communication' in H. Foster (ed.) Postmodern CultureLondon: Pluto: 47-76.
17.
Beck, U. (1992) Risk Society: Towards a New ModernityLondon: Sage.
18.
Benhabib, S. (1991) 'Feminism and Postmodernism: An uneasy alliance ' Praxis International11(2): 137-149.
19.
Brake, M. (1980) The Sociology of Youth Culture and Youth Subcultures: Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll? London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
20.
Brodribb, S. (1992) Nothing Mat(t)ers: A Feminist Critique of Postmodernism NorthMelbourne: Spinifex Press .
21.
Butler J. (1991) 'Contingent Foundations Feminism and the Question of Postmodernism' Praxis International11(2): 150-165.
22.
Christian, B. (1988) 'The Race for Theory' Feminist Studies14 (1): 67-80.
23.
Connell, R.W. (1987) Gender and Power: Society, The Person and Sexual PoliticsSydney: Allen & Unwin .
24.
Douglas, M. (1966) Purity and Danger: An analysis of concepts of pollution and tabooLondon: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
25.
Eisenstadt, S.N. (1992) 'The Order-maintaining and Order-transforming Dimensions of Culture' in R. Munch and N. Smelser (eds) Theory of CultureBerkeley: University of California Press: 64-87.
26.
Fraser, N. (1991) 'False Antithesis: A Response to Seyla Benhabib and Judith Butler' Praxis International11(2): 166-177.
27.
Game, A. (1991) Undoing the Social: Towards a deconstructive sociologyToronto: University of Toronto Press.
28.
Gergen, K.J. (1991) The Saturated SelfNew York : Basic Books.
29.
Hartsock, N.C.M. (1990) 'Foucault on Power: A Theory for Women' Cultural Studies1(3): 349-360.
30.
Jameson, F. (1984) 'Postmodernism: Or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism'New Left Review146: 53-92.
31.
Kellehear, A. (1993) The Unobtrusive Researcher: A Guide to MethodsSydney: Allen & Unwin.
32.
Krauss, R. (1987) The Originality of the Avant Garde and Other Modernist MythsCambridge MA: MIT Press.
33.
Lyotard,J.-F. (1984) The Postmodern Condition: A Report on KnowledgeManchester: Nlanchester University Press.
34.
MacKenzie, D. and J. Wajcman (eds) (1985) The Social Shaping of TechnologyMilton Keynes: Open University Press.
35.
Maharaj, Z. (1995) 'A Social Theory of Gender' Feminist Review49: 50-65
36.
Pearson, K. (1979) Surfing Subcultures of Australia and New ZealandSt Lucia: University of Queensland Press.
37.
Shibutani, T. (1955) 'Reference Groups as Perspectives'American Journal of Sociology60: 562-69.
38.
Sontag, S. (1977) On PhotographyHarmondsworth : Penguin.
39.
Swanson, G.E. (1992) 'Collective Purpose and Culture: Findings and Implications from Some Studies of Societies' in R. Munch and N. Smelser (eds) Theory of CultureBerkeley: University of California Press: 173-218.
40.
Young, N. (1994) The History of Surfing revised edition, Angourie NSW: Palm Beach Press.
41.
Zimbalist Rosaldo, M. (1974) 'Woman, Culture and Society: A Theoretical Overview ' in M. Zimbalist Rosaldo and L. Lamphere (eds) Woman, Culture and SocietyStanford: Stanford University Press : 17-42.
