CLUB CULTURES AND IDENTITY

Abstract

Since the 80's, clubbing as a leisure activity in Singapore has been rapidly gaining popularity. As a result, a proliferation of discos have sprung up across the island, all geared up to catch the potential customer. Yet not all the clubs are alike, even though they share the same purpose: to let individuals enjoy themselves as they party the night away. One can easily observe that different clubs cater to a targeted and specific clientele. This exercise attempts to capture the phenomena of an emerging subculture of clubbing. It also aims to study how the intricacies in the use of image and space affect and relate to an individual's identity. Through participant observation, I hope to be able to provide an adequate picture of the disco clubbing community in Singapore. I will focus on three popular discos---Zouk, Xanadu and Sparks respectively. These were chosen because of the different club crowd each one services. Chapter 1 takes a brief look at the history of disco clubbing in Singapore; Chapter 2 explores the relevant concepts that relate to the research findings in the following chapters. Chapters 3, 4 and 5 describe in-depth the variations between the clubs and the sociological aspects of space. Chapter 6 discusses the consumption patterns of the informants in relation to their identity, while Chapter 7 presents a typology that captures the features of space and identity comprehensively from what has been discussed and described.