skinhead

skinhead
/skin"hed'/, n. Slang.
1. a baldheaded man.
2. a person with closely cropped hair or a shaved head.
3. a marine recruit; boot.
4. an antisocial person who affects a hairless head as a symbol of rebellion, racism, or anarchy.
[1955-60; SKIN + HEAD]

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Member of an international youth subculture characterized by hair and dress styles evoking aggression and physical toughness.

Typical skinhead style includes shaved heads, combat boots, tattoos, and prominent body piercings. Skinheads first appeared in working-class areas of London in the 1960s; during the 1970s and '80s the skinhead phenomenon spread to Australia, North America, and western Europe. In many countries, skinheads are regarded as extreme right-wing nationalists who espouse anti-Semitic and other racist views and engage in violent attacks on immigrants and racial minorities. This characterization, however, does not apply to all members of the subculture.

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▪ youth subculture movement
      youth subculture characterized by aggressively masculine hair and dress styles, including shaved heads and heavy boots. In many countries skinheads are commonly viewed as extreme right-wing nationalists or neofascists who espouse anti-Semitic (anti-Semitism) and other racist (racism) views, though the skinhead phenomenon is not always overtly political and not all skinheads are racists.

      The skinheads originated in the 1960s in the working-class neighbourhoods of London. They rejected the youthful counterculture movement—in particular its ethos of peace and love—and deliberately cultivated aspects of style and culture that were furthest removed from it. The skinheads received extensive media attention in Britain in 1969–70, following appeals from Pakistanis living in the country for protection from skinhead attacks. Although many skinheads were prone to violence, others viewed their subculture primarily as an expression of alternative values and communal solidarity and were more interested in parties, concerts, and sporting events than in violence. During the 1970s and '80s the skinhead movement spread to Australia, North America, and western Europe, especially Germany.

      Although the first skinheads were nonpolitical, many of them were soon drawn into extreme nationalist, and especially anti-immigrant, groups. Some skinheads were recruited as “storm troopers” for neo-Nazi organizations, and the movement became increasingly politicized. Skinhead gangs often attacked immigrants or racial minorities, particularly Turks and Asians in Germany and Indians and Pakistanis in Britain. A classic fictionalized account of such a gang was presented in the Australian film Romper Stomper (1992), and similar themes also emerged in American films such as American History X (1998). In the United States skinheads were drawn into the ultranationalist white supremacy movement through groups such as White Aryan Resistance. Even so, some skinheads in the United States and elsewhere were nonpolitical or even espoused left-wing positions.

      Skinheads expressed their racism in their music as well as in their street violence. Although many early skinheads favoured West Indian reggae, later skinhead musical groups produced punk music and Oi!, a variety of punk that focused on “street” issues.

John Philip Jenkins
 

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • skinhead — [ skinɛd ] n. • 1983; mot angl. « crâne rasé » ♦ Garçon ou fille au crâne rasé portant des vêtements de style militaire, partisan d une idéologie d agressivité et de violence. « Au nom d un nationalisme raciste, les “skinheads” frappent dur » (Le …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Skinhead — Sm (Angehöriger einer Gruppe von Jugendlichen, die als charakteristisches Äußeres einen kahlgeschorenen Kopf haben) per. Wortschatz grupp. (20. Jh.) Entlehnung. Entlehnt aus ne. skinhead, einer Zusammensetzung aus ne. skin Haut (aus anord. skinn… …   Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen sprache

  • skinhead — skínhead (angl.) [ea pron. e] ( head) s. m., pl. skínhead Trimis de gall, 06.03.2008. Sursa: DOOM 2 …   Dicționar Român

  • skinhead — / skinhed/, it. /ski nɛd/ s. ingl. [comp. di skin pelle e head testa , propr. testa rasata fino alla pelle ], usato in ital. al masch. [giovane di estrema destra caratterizzato nell aspetto esteriore per la testa rasata e per il particolare… …   Enciclopedia Italiana

  • skinhead — 1969, in U.K. youth gang sense, from SKIN (Cf. skin) (n.) + HEAD (Cf. head). Earlier, in U.S., it meant man with a crew cut (1953), especially a military recruit …   Etymology dictionary

  • skinhead — s. 2 g. Jovem marginal que adota um comportamento de grupo agressivo, xenófobo e racista, e que manifesta a sua adesão às ideologias guerreiras por um crânio rapado (procurando evocar o corte regulamentar dos corpos de elite). = SKIN… …   Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa

  • skinhead — /skiˈnɛd, ingl. ˈskɪnˌhɛd/ [vc. ingl. di orig. gergale, propr. «testa (head) rasata fino alla pelle (skin)»] s. m. e f. inv. CFR. naziskin …   Sinonimi e Contrari. Terza edizione

  • skinhead — m DEFINICIJA v. skinhed …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • skinhead — {{/stl 13}}{{stl 7}}[wym. skinhed] {{/stl 7}}{{stl 8}}rz. mos I, Mc. skinheadheadzie; lm. M. skinheadheadzi, {{/stl 8}}{{stl 7}}to samo co skin. <ang.> {{/stl 7}} …   Langenscheidt Polski wyjaśnień

  • skinhead — ► NOUN ▪ a young person of a subculture characterized by close cropped hair and heavy boots, often perceived as aggressive and racist …   English terms dictionary

  • skinhead — [skinhed΄] n. 1. Slang a person who is bald or whose hair has been shaved off or closely cropped 2. a) any of a group of working class youths, orig. in England in the 1960s, with closely cropped hair, often engaging in rowdyism b) any of a… …   English World dictionary

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