RIGHTEOUS ROCKERS…UP IN CANADA: CHRISTIAN ROCK MUSIC IN ONTARIO, 2008-2010

Abstract

This dissertation, a study of Christian rock music and musicians in Southern Ontario, Canada, examines issues related to religion, music and youth culture. In doing so it explores similarities and differences between subcultures and new social movements particularly in relation to issues around practices, identity and authenticity. The dissertation begins with examinations of the literature on subcultures and social movements, followed by brief looks at the literature on fields, habitus, legitimacy, individual and collective authenticity and identity, issues of authenticity within popular music and Christian rock music literatures. Following this it looks at the research methods used, detailing the interviews with Christian rock musicians and participant observation conducted from 2008-2010. The substantive chapters of the study look at practices and the uses of space, Christian rock identities over time and finally the question of whether Christian rock should be categorized as a subculture or a new social movement. The first of these chapters examines how spaces, particularly performance spaces are used within Christian rock, how these connect to worship, entertainment and art, and how these attempt to manifest themselves as transgressive. The second substantive chapter looks at how Christian rock musicians enact their individual and collective Christian rock identity in recruitment, participation and exiting of Christian rock. In doing so, it looks at how identities and the goals associated with those identities connect to Howard and Streck’s Christian rock typologies of separational, integrational and transformational (Howard & Streck, 1999). The third substantive chapter examines whether Christian rock should be considered a subculture or a new social movement by looking at how it deals with recruitment, mobilization, insiders and outsiders, structure, leadership, strategies, goals, uses of space and material cultures. In doing so the dissertation argues that Christian rock is composed of many different identities and approaches. It then explores the specific identities and approaches of Worshipcore and Worship Rock. This is followed by a conclusion and brief post-script detailing speculation around the changes that have occurred since the research was conducted.