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Outcast but cast out. The effects of marginalisation on the British motorcycling community

McDonald-Walker, S. (2007) Outcast but cast out. The effects of marginalisation on the British motorcycling community. International Journal of Motorcycle Studies. 1931-275X.

Item Type: Article
Abstract: Questions surrounding the relationship between culture and politics have acquired a heightened saliency with the rise of the new social movements from the 1960s. The extent to which the two can be separated within modern forms of political engagement or the nature of the interplay between them have been extensively debated for some time. However, it may be argued that there is no sharp distinction, no point at which we may say that “this is cultural” or that “this is political.” Rather, we can acknowledge that there is always politics in culture and culture in politics and move on to the more interesting question of how these inform specific areas of concern. This paper discusses the British motorcycling community and how the stigmatisation of British bikers from the 1950s has affected the habitus of riders in the UK. The paper explores how the process of marginalisation, and bikers’ reactions to this, laid crucial foundations which were to carry ramifications for political engagement when legislative threats began to confront the biking community from the late 1980s. Further, it examines how developments within the biking community also informed the ability of British bikers to fight back against proposed restrictions
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation. Leisure > GV1040 Cycling. Bicycling. Motorcycling > GV1059.52 Motorcycling
H Social Sciences > HM Sociology > HM1001 Social psychology > HM1106 Interpersonal relations. Social behavior > HM1136 Marginality, social
G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation. Leisure > GV706.5 Sports sociology
Creators: McDonald-Walker, Suzanne
Faculties, Divisions and Institutes: Faculties > Faculty of Health & Society > Applied Social Studies & Sociology
Date: July 2007
Date Type: Publication
Journal or Publication Title: International Journal of Motorcycle Studies
Language: English
ISSN: 1931-275X
Status: Published / Disseminated
Refereed: Yes
URI: http://nectar.northampton.ac.uk/id/eprint/831

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