Dave Harrison - 7 Representaions of Youth

1. Youth are often represented in accordance with popular or hegemonic notions of adolescence
- An example of this is the programme, 'Misfits', were we see youth represented as reckless criminals that curse and commit anti-sociable behaviour.

2. Youth are often ‘demonised’ by the mass media.
- 'Truth about Britain’s feral youth: Small core of youngsters commit staggering 86 crimes by age 16'
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2163979/Truth-Britain-s-feral-youth-Small-core-youngsters-commit-staggering-86-crimes-age-16.html

3.Youth are represented as being let down by adults
-This is an article by the 'Dailmail' about the blaming of adults for teenagers being selfish.
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2514694/So-young-adults-today-selfish-monsters--parents-blame-says-YASMIN-ALIBHAI-BROWN.html
- Another example of this is in the film 'Kings of Summer', were the teenage character's parents cause them to run away from home because they are annoying and do not look after them appropriately.
 
4. Youth are represented as part of a subculture
- 'Mean Girls' is a grate example of this because, although it is an American film, there are very clearly defined examples of group categorisation. For example, the plasics, Emos, nerds, etc. 

5. Alienation – youth are represented as being estranged from parts of society, particularly adult society.
- This article by the 'Dailymail' reinforces this representation because it states that youth have low moral standards and are outsiders of adult society.
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1214549/Feral-youths-How-generation-violent-illiterate-young-men-living-outside-boundaries-civilised-society.html

6. Youth are product of the society they were born into, and often embody the faults and fears of adult society.
- An example of this is in the film, 'Attack the Block', were a group of young teenagers at represented at violent and criminals. We also see that they are living in poor conditions in a housing estate, being brought up around dangerous people (for example, drug dealers). 


7. Representations of UK Youth are often nostalgic and romanticized
- An example of this is is the film, 'High School Musical', because it shows the enjoyment that people have in their teenage years although this is an american film so does not represent the UK youth society.