An analysis of the hipster (sub)culture and Its reflection in HBO’s TV series girls

Narbona-Carrión, María Dolores

Abstract

According to the casting call posted by Lena Dunham at Backstage.com, one feels tempted to classify the TV series Girls as a hipster show automatically. In fact, this is what its creators and producers have been trying to do since its premiere. This association with this alternative subculture was also emphasized by the differences that the new program presented with respect to its predecessor, Sex in the City. In contrast to its snob protagonists, Girls major characters are designed to give the impression of sharing the characteristics that are considered essential in hipsters, as I will demonstrate. Thus, Hannah Horvath, the protagonist, proclaims herself as "the voice of her generation" in the pilot; and its creators, especially she, try to give that voice hipster-like tones. However, as Michael Scott clearly asserts, "'hipster' and 'hipsterism' are notoriously difficult to define". Notwithstanding this complexity and, in connection with the methodology that I follow in this work, it is my aim to use a solid theoretical background to analyze, first, the features present in Girls that might be connected to its hipster nature; then, I will study their authenticity, with the objective of reflecting on the reasons why those elements might have been used by its creators, to see if they are connected to capitalist economic interests, which is one of my hypotheses. The conclusions of this paper will show the results of the above mentioned analysis. As there are not many academic studies on the hipster and the hipster culture as relevant specialists recognise (e.g.: Schiermer 168), the analysis that I propose here is quite original and necessary. Even more so, if we take into account the fact that most definitions of hipsters are centered on male ones, but little attention is given to female hipsters. Lena Dunham helps to eliminate this stereotype as well as others connected to this type of alternative people (not without controversy).

An analysis of the hipster (sub)culture and Its reflection in HBO’s TV series girls

Author: Narbona-Carrión, María Dolores

Year: 2018

Source: https://riuma.uma.es/xmlui/bitstream/10630/16860/4/2018%20abstract%20in%20template.pdf

An Analysis o he Hips e (Sub)Cul u e and I s Re lec ion in HBO’s TV Se ies
Gi ls
Abs ac [pape ]:
Seeking—Hips e Types: male and emale, 18-30s, all e hnici ies, all ypes, speci ically
seeking people wi h a oos, pie cings, colo ed hai , and unique looks. Young Adul
(ages 18-29), Thi ies (ages 30-39). Caucasian/Whi e, A ican-Ame ican/Black,
La in/Hispanic/Sou h Ame ican, Asian, Na i e Ame ican, Eu opean, Middle Eas e n,
Indian/Sou h Asian, O he . (Hu ing on Pos )
Acco ding o his cas ing call pos ed by Lena Dunham and he c ew a Backs age.com,
one eels emp ed o classi y he TV se ies Gi ls as a hips e show au oma ically. In ac ,
his is wha i s c ea o s and p oduce s ha e been ying o do since i s p emie e on Ap il
15, 2012, un il i s conclusion on Ap il 16, 2017. This associa ion wi h his al e na i e
subcul u e (o coun e -cul u e, pos -subcul u e, scene… depending on he heo is , as
Bjø n Schie me explains) was also emphasized by he di e ences ha he new p og am
p esen ed wi h espec o wha many c i ics conside i s p o i able p edecesso , HBO’s
Sex in he Ci y (1998-2004). In con as o he ou o e ly snob p o agonis s o his
ou s andingly amous show, he emale majo cha ac e s in Gi ls a e designed o gi e
he imp ession o sha ing mos o he cha ac e is ics ha a e no mally conside ed
essen ial in hips e s, bo h acco ding o popula media communica o s and specialized
schola s, as I will demons a e in my pape . Thus, Hannah Ho a h, he p o agonis ,
p oclaims he sel as " he oice o he gene a ion" in he pilo ; and i s c ea o s,
especially Lena Dunham, y ha d o gi e ha oice hips e -like ones.
Howe e , as Michael Sco clea ly asse s (in line wi h he opinion o o he salien
schola s such as Wes Hill, Janna Michael, Ma k G ei , o Bjø n Schie me ), "'hips e '
and 'hips e ism' a e no o iously di icul o de ine". No wi hs anding his complexi y
and, in connec ion wi h he me hodology ha I ollow in his wo k, i is my aim o use a
solid heo e ical backg ound o analyze, i s , he ea u es p esen in Gi ls ha migh be
connec ed o i s hips e na u e; hen, I will s udy hei au hen ici y (o lack o i ), wi h
he objec i e o e lec ing also on he easons why hose elemen s migh ha e been used
by i s c ea o s, o see i hey a e connec ed -pa adoxically, in his hips e con ex - o
capi alis economic in e es s, which is one o my hypo heses. In his esea ch p ocess, I
will apply co e concep s p esen in ele an academic wo ks o schola s specialized in
he s udy o hips e ism, such as "au hen ici y," "indi idualiza ion," "nos algia,"
" econ e sion s a egies," "(an i-) endiness," and "i ony," among o he s.
The conclusions o his pape will show he esul s o he abo e men ioned analysis. As
he e a e no many academic s udies on he hips e and he hips e cul u e as ele an
specialis s ecognise (e.g.: Schie me 168), he analysis ha I p opose he e is qui e
o iginal and necessa y. E en mo e so, i we ake in o accoun he ac ha mos
de ini ions o hips e s a e cen e ed on male ones, bu li le a en ion is gi en o emale
hips e s. Lena Dunham helps o elimina e his s e eo ype as well as o he s connec ed o
his ype o al e na i e people (no wi hou con o e sy), such as hei lack o poli ical
implica ions (because o he supposed suppo o eminism o pa icula poli ical
pa ies), o hips e s’ endency o ocus on whi e ci izens.
(Numbe o wo ds excluding i le, e e ences and keywo ds: 509)
Re e ences (maximum 150 wo ds) (Chicago s yle)
G ei , Ma k e al. Wha Was he Hips e ? A Sociologocal In es iga ion. New Yo k: N+1
Founda ion, 2010.
Hill, Wes. "A Hips e His o y: Towa ds a Pos -c i ical Aes he ic." C i ical S udies in
Fashion and Beau y 6(1) (2015): 45-60.
Michael, Janna. "I Is Really No Hip o Be a Hips e : Nego ia ing T ends and
Au hen ici y in he Cul u al Field." Jou nal o Consume Cul u e 15(2) (2015): 163-
182.
Schie me , Bjø n. "La e-mode n Hips e s: New Tendencies in Popula Cul u e." Ac a
Sociologica, Vol. 57(2) (2014): 167-181.
Sco , Michael. "'Hips e Capi alism’ in he Age o Aus e i y? Polanyi Mee s Bou dieu’s
New Pe i e Bou geoisie." Cul u al Sociology, Vol. 11(I) (2017): 60-76.
Keywo ds (maximum 5) (sepa a ed wi h semi-colons): Hips e s, (sub)cul u e, you h,
TV se ies, HBO’s Gi ls.