The social place of the Portuguese punk scene: An Itinerary of the social profiles of its protagonists

Abstract

This article will present a characterisation of the Portuguese punk scene between 1977 and 2014, while considering the social profiles of its protagonists. It is based on the sociological principle that the social positioning of social actors influences what they do, say, and feel. Their social profiling will help clarify their role in the musical scene. This approach has been deemed fundamental in interpreting post-war youth cultures and the way in which they re-equated pop culture. In this article, we have two particular aims: first, establishing a portrait of the leading characters in the Portuguese punk scene through the social profiling of 214 individuals interviewed between May 2012 and October 2014; second, allowing for comparisons with other musical scenes in Portugal and/or with punk scenes in other countries. Here, we must obviously consider the social condition of these protagonists, including not only their class origin and present affiliation but also other relevant characteristics, such as gender and age. Thus, this article will explore the following topics: roles and functions within the punk scene, gender relations, age groups and the process of ageing, territorial placement—both in terms of origin and of residence, educational capital, and socio-occupational group.‪