To which extent did the 1960s youth culture in England shift from counterculture to an element of the mainstream culture ?

Details

Supervisors

Arblaster, Paul

Faculty

Faculté de philosophie, arts et lettres

Degree label

Master [120] en communication multilingue, à finalité spécialisée: langues des affaires

Abstract

This work focuses on the 1960s youth culture that emerged in England and that soon gained the status of ‘counterculture’. Out of an opposition to the dominant values and culture of the time, a culture of its own was born, with its own codes and morals. This movement was embodied by the Beatles, the miniskirt, the sexual revolution, psychedelic art, the hippies… Nowadays, the countercultural status of that movement no longer seems so obvious. The Beatles are a national symbol of England, colourful fashion is a defining feature of the country, the sexual revolution has led to several evolutions in society...This work is the research that builds on this reflection. It combines an analysis of modern historical sources with research into the National Heritage List for England, the official database of England’s protected cultural heritage, to answer the following question: is the 1960s youth culture in England still considered as a countercultural movement, or has this phenomenon partially or totally shifted from counterculture to an element of the mainstream, recognised and protected culture of England?