Metal Community: the Problem of Identity

The main goal of my future work is to look at the formation and specifics of identity in metal community as an academic problem. This goal is determined by the current situation of the fundamental societal changes, amongst others those in basal assumption s, that lead to the plurality and ambiguity of social structures and life-worlds. I assume that in our times collective identities, which subordinate individuality to common interest are no longer normative. Instead, they give place to individual constell ations that cannot be integrated by given norms, hierarchies and forms of organization, but are determined by disintegration or "risky freedom". I also assume, that the monopoly of dominating culture is slowly replaced by plurality of the forms of cultura l expression, as the importance of small groups and alternative movements or so-called "subcultures" is growing. In such circumstances the integrating force of aesthetics, especially that of music, increases dramatically. The groups of people with common aesthetic interests slowly become the most important environment and source of identity. From such communities, the most interesting to us is one that is integrated by the common musical taste - the metal community. I have chosen that group as an object b ecause it receives very little attention in sociology and social anthropology despite the very active processes of building it's own identity and value system.