Preferred Name
Cedric Ansah
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0501-7688
Date of Graduation
5-9-2024
Semester of Graduation
Spring
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
School of Communication Studies
Second Advisor
Peter K. Bsumek
Third Advisor
Michael L. Broderick
Abstract
Punk clothing has iterated and innovated on aspects of its own history as a subculture, it has been representative of yet another chapter in the long history of subculture and counterculture, and it has been indicative of the values of whatever geographical area or scene spawned it. Broadly, history has favored the representation of some geographical punk spaces over others. While Britain, New York, the Midwest-U.S., and California have all been observed and championed by punk scholarship as being unique chapters in punk history, other geographical spots, such as the nation’s capital, Washington D.C., have gone underrepresented by comparison in spite of being well-archived. Additionally, close examinations of punk rock outfits and how they underscore the values of the D.C. scene are not in great supply. Through thorough analysis of various artifacts such as photographs, zines, fliers, and comics, interviews, songs, and album covers in which clothing is relevant in some way, shape, or form, this ideological criticism investigated Washington D.C.’s punk scene in order to see what prevailing values of the space informed it. Key findings included values of criticizing systems of power, anti-trend chasing, anti-judgment/classism, anti-corporatism, life affirmation, and hometown pride, as well as an examination on accusations of bigotry. This study contributes to very much needed research on both the Washington D.C. punk scene and subcultural clothing communication.
