Are there still urban tribes?

Barcelona"There are no more urban tribes, and there won't be any, at least not with the presence and strength they had in the second half of the 20th century," states José Mansilla, an urban anthropologist in the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). "In Spain, they emerged with great force in the 1980s as a result of a period of realignment in Spanish society. Now, only a few nostalgics will remain," he asserts.

Urban tribes are youth cultural and countercultural movements that revolve around a particular lifestyle, shared interests closely linked to music, and above all, aesthetic references. In the 1960s, the Western world and capitalist societies questioned the traditional family, feminisms exploded, redefining the role of women in the home, sexual relations, and the idea of ​​a lifelong partnership, and these movements emerged. hippiesIn contrast, Spain, a product of the Civil War and Francoism, and other southern European countries such as Portugal, Italy and Greece, remained on the sidelines and the new trends arrived later.

The reason for urban tribes

Urban tribes are a typical phenomenon of industrial societies. They emerged after World War II in America and Europe, when consumer society began to take shape, and for the first time in human history, people had the ability to save and access more than just the basic necessities for survival. This coincided with the blurring of a strong sense of belonging linked to religion or national characteristics—elements that were more structured and consistent over time: "It involves the transformation of the components that confer identity. In these new, more individualized societies, factors related to consumption, such as music, clothing, or meeting places, help to shape urban identities," the anthropologist points out.

The evolution of urban tribes is linked to the era in which they exist. In the 1960s, the emergence of the movement hippie It calls into question the values ​​of World War II and points to the fall of industrial society. It was a kind of romanticism that ignites the values ​​of nature, represents the first ecological revolution, and questions the role of women. "The film Grease "It perfectly exemplifies the rockers, another tribe that emerged in the United States to also break with pre-established values. Elvis Presley and James Dean exemplified rebellion," the anthropologist comments. And with the end of the crisis of the 1970s, the movement appeared. punk, which illustrates the moment of economic crisis that the capitalist West was experiencing.

From tribes to mini-tribes?

All urban tribes, hippies, rockers, punks, heavy, gothic or grungas They used to meet in physical spaces to share their hobbies: from record stores to clothing shops, specialized bars, and concerts. Besides occupying public space, the street was their meeting point. The reality of the 21st century has changed and made their existence more difficult. Record stores are practically nonexistent, online shopping is commonplace, there are few circuits of small venues that book bands with a distinct personality, concerts tend to be massive, and technology is very present in the relationships between young people… “A series of factors that determine that the ways of seeking identity are much more fragmented. There are no longer tribes that endure over time,” Mansilla asserts.

The aesthetics of the 21st century

Historically, fashion has been a key marker of collective identity within urban tribes, allowing them to differentiate one from another. Aesthetics enable the rapid recognition of group affiliation, functioning as a shared visual language. "The difference is that before, this code was more stable and recognizable, while today it's more permeable, flexible, and combinable. More mutable, in short," comments Maria Almenar, a journalist specializing in culture, fashion, and lifestyle. These new identities are neither exclusive nor permanent; young people often move between styles with great ease.

Youth fashion tends towards homogenization. For Almenar, the globalization of fashion, the fast fashion And above all, social media, which fosters isolation and uncritical thinking, has created a shared aesthetic imaginary: "Teenagers no longer think about how to stand out; they prefer not to be in the crowd and follow the guidelines set by certain influencers or prominent figures." Now, trends are born from a digital ecosystem in which algorithms, brands, and content creators amplify certain styles until they become the norm. Fashion is more homogeneous than ever, with platforms like TikTok and Instagram accelerating the spread of trends and causing the same garments to appear simultaneously in different contexts. "The difference with other eras is that before, integration involved a specific tribe, and today it involves a shared global aesthetic," the journalist concludes.