Youth Theories

 Cultural Hegemony is defined as domination over a culturally diverse society by a ruling class.
Hebdige states that youth can be either represented as fun or as trouble making.
He also states the youth resist hegemony through style, as shown by groups such as Punks or mods.  The idea of Hegemony was developed by Gramsci, an Italian Marxist political thinker, who was interested in how one social class is able to dominate society.

Another theorist who looks at youth representation is Acland. Acland  thinks that the repetitive nature of television means television will change how people see the world over time, which he calls Cultivation  theory. He says that Hegemony is maintained through media representations of youth.

Ann Gould - Six stereotypes of youth
Rebellious
Artificial Tribe
Sexual
Nihilistic
Violent
Self Destructive



Cohen believes that media representations of youth are designed to create a moral panic among the public.
Althusser is another Marxist theorist who states that dominant ideologies are reinforced using ideological state apparatuses such as the media.