This chapter has introduced alternative culture, a movement consisting of a heterogeneity of de-centrist DiY neo-tribes connected by their commitment to, and expression of, discourse and practice responsive to perceived deficiencies in the parent culture. It has investigated alternative cultural events, the principal criteria of which have been ascertained. Several event-clusters meeting with this criteria, including alternative lifestyle events, were identified. The latter, following the ideas of Foucault, via Hetherington, were described as alternative cultural heterotopia. Finally, I examined four independent research projects conducted on ALEs (employing ethnographies of varying description). This critical and comparative investigation serves to assist the formulation of an appropriate approach to the inimitable, local ACH, ConFest, and to provide valuable comparative data and analysis to be drawn upon in the following chapters.

< BACK

NEXT >