MELISMAreviews
ross haenfler
STRAIGHT EDGE: CLEAN-LIVING YOUTH, HARDCORE PUNK, AND SOCIAL CHANGE by SHANA HURLEY
26
The “academicization” of punk rock is dangerous territory upon which to tread. One doesn’t need a Ph.D to interpret the social context of “Anarchy in the UK,” for example. As The Ramones’ simplified three-chord structures and declarative lyrical styling have demonstrated in the appearance of generations of their emulators and imitators, punk needn’t be “smart.” Whether you’re 16 and “screaming at a wall” with Minor Threat or 18 and “rising above” with some help from Black Flag, punk rock is relatable because it’s direct, fast, and, often, as angry as you are. It is decidedly unacademic. Despite the context, Ross Haenfler, an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Social Movements at the University of Mississippi, Ole Miss, has developed an academic study of the contemporary straight edge movement in his 2006 Straight Edge: Clean-Living Youth, Hardcore Punk, and Social Change. As the book jacket declares, it is the “first in-depth sociological analysis of the movement,” and Haenfler catalogues the results of formal and informal interviews into a cohesive document. The result is a definition of straight edge, an introduction to its social achievements and fallbacks, and the application of a simultaneously personal and theoretical approach. Using the diction of his discourse, Haefler analyzes the straightedge movement within hardcore punk through a sociological lens. One of the most compelling aspects of the book is Haenfler’s decision to include his personal narrative. He opens Straight Edge with an explanation for his choice to adopt the straight edge lifestyle, in the context of his youth spent in Rapid City, S.D. He continually weaves in anecdotes from his participation in the Denver, Colo. hardcore scene. The personalization provides a contrast to his attempts at putting an academic spin on the movement. In this way, Haenfler’s biggest strength is his commitment to authenticity. Right from the cover of the book, which features a picture of Pat Flynn of Have Heart X’ed up in a sea of enthusiastic fans, the reader is aware that this is a legitimate document, produced by an ally instead of an outsider. Haenfler’s approach is comprehensive: he breaks his thesis into a series of chapters, each demonstrating individual studies, which show impressive breadth and depth. Though many sections do not reveal anything particularly new, he takes the time to use an academic approach. For example, he establishes and fully proves how straight edge qualifies as a social movement and collective identity. To be fair, he criticizes the straight edge community for its exclusivity in regards to gender and homosexuality while also highlighting its valuable ability to construct communities for its ideological adherents. In another section, he addresses the tension between “positivity” and “militancy,” profiling the characteristics of each type and the oscillating historical dominance of each group within straight edge’s history. Tying hypermasculinity and “crew” behavior into militancy, Haenfler reinforces his discussion of the simultaneous inclusiveness and exclusivity of straight edge. This theme, considered during multiple discussions of gender’s role in the hardcore scene, permeates his study. The most interesting chapter – perhaps because I personally relate to it
– addresses issues of “Life after straight edge.” He covers those who pick up drinking, drugs and sexual promiscuity. However, he also discusses those who maintain accordance with straight edge beliefs, even though their participation within the hardcore scene has ebbed. In doing so, he characterizes two important portraits of stereotypical behaviors within the straight edge scene while also developing the complexity of others’ individual relationships with straight edge. It is when Haenfler interviews his peers that his sociological hypotheses reach the level of sophistication I desired to find in his analyses. His own testimony and the agonizingly honest reflections of other interviewees develop the strongest proof of his thesis, underscoring that straight edge is a social movement with lasting implications. On the other hand, despite its potency, Haenfler’s personal involvement also poses methodological problems. He cites informal interviews, conversations in which he (assumedly) engaged in with friends. Though these are clearly important aspects of his research, his immersion experience poses a challenge to his reliability as a witness. For example, he admits that his documentation waned as he grew older and less personally involved in the scene. This enhances the personal aspect of his narrative but weakens his ability to supply the reader with a fluent, comprehensive study. His personal involvement prevents him from separating straight edge from the hardcore community, leading him to interchange both too casually. To compensate, at times, he over-emphasizes the formality of the interview. When addressing the methodology of his analysis of sexism, he goes too far to prove that he has established a comfortable, professional setting that would offset any consequences of his inherent Y-chromosome masculinity. At times, his academic definitions read like a high school research paper, laboriously paraphrased from upper-level readings. He sometimes struggles to find the balance between academic professionalism and personal passion. Additionally (and most frustratingly), Haenfler’s personal engagement in the hardcore community creates a challenge for him when deciding upon his audience. At times, Straight Edge clearly reads as directed to the owners of Chung King Can Suck It albums and Earth Crisis varsity jackets. Other times, such as when he addresses the history of the movement, it seems like he misses an ignorant target while also aiming well below any sort of knowledge audience. If Haenfler aims to provide a document like Michael Azerrad’s Our Band Could Be Your Life, which has educated countless fans fortunate enough to stumble upon its welcoming prose, he has not succeeded. On the other hand, if Haenfler’s target audience already has a base awareness about important milestones in the movement, he has provided a sincere and comprehensive supplement that will complement even noted scene grandfathers. Although Haenfler’s demands on the reader’s awareness of hardcore music and history do not always pair well with his demands for comprehension of sophisticated diction, the anecdotes and reflections are personal enough to break through the academia to resonate personally. Despite these detractions, Straight Edge is still a milestone. To my knowledge, it is absolutely the first academic look at straight edge, and at hardcore in particular. It uses a mixture of authentic academia and pertinent culture, aptly quoting from each discipline. The curious alliance of sociology and classic hardcore lyrics and imagery has challenged my self-constructed boundaries that dictate that hardcore and school must be different; instead, by engaging both spheres, Haenfler succeeds in producing something quite special. Straight Edge isn’t for everyone, but it shouldn’t be overlooked, either.
