Last of the ‘Real Geordies’? White Masculinities and the Subcultural Response to Deindustrialisation

In this historical ethnography I investigate how a group of young white men are negotiating the transition to a postindustrial society. Their insular, subcultural practices are seen as complex, materially orchestrated responses to the ‘new times’ of the changing local—global economy. In the context of deindustrialisation I consider how a white, industrial masculinity could be recuperated in the field of consumption, notably through embodied rituals of football support, drinking, and going out. I conclude by arguing that geographers need to be more attentive to local nuances and regional identities in their theoretical analysis of economic restructuring and globalisation.