DIY Culture: Economical and Political Dimensions of Czech Subcultural Practice of Late State Socialism and Post Socialism
Abstract
This monograph focuses on the DIY subcultural practices of late state socialism and post -socialism in the Czech areas of the former Czechoslovakia through the prism of "subcultural capital" (Sarah Thornton). The book is structured around three topics - DIY memory, DIY politics and DIY economics.
DIY memory is analysed through subcultural practices of the "underground" of 1970 s and rockabilly of late 1980 s and 1990 s. The first used memory as a tool for political mobilization, the later only as a tool for preservation of its own distinct taste.
The chapter on DIY politics examines two activist practices - one with no direct subcultural background (the late state socialist fascism) and one narrowly linked to hardcore -punk subculture (antiglobalization movement of the late 1990 s). Given its radicalism the fi rst one was completely marginalized during the late state socialism.
The second managed to gain some sympathies with the help of DIY fanzines distributed by hardcore -punk community. The leaning of the subculture towards the activism was however not absolute and activism received some important critics from inside the scene.
Finally, DIY economics is studied through the case studies focusing on DIY practices of cassettes publication of late 1980 s, swap meetings (burza) of the same period and finally through commodifi cation of punk production and resistance against it during the 1990 s. First two case studies give proof of the unsustainability of the totalitarian paradigm showing the autonomous DIY practices under authoritarian police regime.
The third one shows correction mechanisms of the hardcore -punk scene against the commodifi cation in the form of DIY publishing and recording activities.