A trip within the boundary walls : understanding group formations and youth culture

Abstract

The ethnography is a study of youth peer groups within a College of Further Education. Peer group formations, and their characteristics in terms of social categories are explored. The number of members forming part of a group depends on whether a clique or a crowd is formed. The homogeneity and heterogeneity of groups is investigated. The ethnography shows that group members perceive themselves as being similar to their peers in personality, dress style, behaviour, language, background, and leisure activities. Despite this, group members are moving away from peer conformity showing that personality development has reached a stage of maturity with youths exercising the self. The study also explores the meaning attached to group membership. Group attachment, collective self-esteem, and group bias seem to provide groups with a sense of security. Exploring their cultural habits and discourses shows that youth groups behave in similar ways in College. Each group congregates at specific locations and marks it as territorial space.