Zbornik Radova Akademije Umetnosti (Jan 2020)
Sociology of the 1960s rock 'n' roll in Yugoslavia: Subversion, moral panic, censorship
Abstract
In this paper, the author undertakes a sociological analysis of Yugoslav rock and roll in the 1960s. The focus of the research is three elements: subversion, moral panic and censorship. The first part of the paper presents social and musical roots of rock and roll, with a particular emphasis on its subversive power. Special attention is paid to the influence of this music in the Yugoslav socialist society, considering that it (with all its features) rolled "outside the system". Rock and roll was in all respects the antipode of a society of limited freedoms, but it was accepted because the government at that time was oriented towards the democratic values of Western culture. The subversion of Yugoslav rock and roll was not as direct as in the countries where it originated and did not reflect an open rebellion against the regime. It influenced social change more through subcultural styles, quite different from the model preferred by the ruling class - young men wore long hair, girls wore miniskirts, their behavior was excessive, and slang incomprehensible to the older generation. To mutual satisfaction, authorities and the rockers found a common language, and every violation of the prescribed rules of conduct was channeled through media production of moral panic and censorship that was not too strict.
