Functions of (Illegal) Nightlife for Youth during the Pandemic: Between Neoliberalism and Neotribalism

Abstract

Pandemija kovid-19 ostavila je značajne posledice po živote mladih, dra-matično preoblikujući njihove društvene živote usled zabrane okupljanja. Pored toga, neki od njih se nisu pridržavali zaštitnih mera, što je vidljivo na primerima posećivanja ilegalnih žurki. U ovoj studiji istražile smo funkcije koje noćni izlasci mogu imati za mlade, kao i njihovu motivaciju za kršenje zabrane okupljanja. Sprovele smo dubinske intervjue sa 13 mladih osoba (7 muškaraca, uzrasta 18–29 godina), a podatke smo ana-lizirale pomoću refleksivne tematske analize. Većina učesnika se ustručavala od noćnih izlazaka, gubeći vredan resurs za povezivanje sa drugima i prevladavanje stresa. Uče-snici koji su nastavili da posećuju žurke koristili su ih kao resurs za prevladavanje stresa vezanog za pandemiju, takođe ističući veći osećaj povezanosti na ilegalnim žurkama u poređenju s izlascima pre pandemije. Nalaze koji se tiču društvenih funkcija žurki za mlade tumačile smo kroz prizmu teorija neoliberalizma i neot ribalizma. Zaključujemo da žurke imaju primarno individualističke funkcije za mlade, s upečatljivim „džepovi-ma” kolektivizma.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a great effect on young people, with their social lives being particularly impacted by the restrictions on social gatherings. Some of them, nevertheless, did not adhere to restrictions, and participated in illegal parties. In this study, we explored the functions of (illegal) nightlife for youth, as well as their motives for noncompliance with restrictions on social gatherings. We conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with thirteen young people (seven male, aged 18–29) and the data was analyzed using reflex-ive thematic analysis. Restrictions on public gatherings revealed the multiple functions parties had for youth as a unique multimodal experience that can’t be easily substituted. Parties were described as unique experiences in particu-lar because they facilitated the loss of individuality and coalescence with the collective. Some participants tried to make up for the loss of this resource by simulating parties in their own home, which proved to be unsatisfactory. Most participants refrained from going out, reporting a loss of a valuable resource for connecting with others and managing stress. In refraining from partying, some participants felt as though they lost a part of themselves. This highlighted the importance of the clubbing culture for defining one’s identity. Participants that continued to attend parties used them as a resource for managing stress relat-ed to the pandemic. Participants who attended illegal parties employed various strategies in order to relativize the seriousness of the pandemic. Nevertheless, most of them experienced a tension between their fear of the coronavirus and the need to feel carefree. Illegal partygoers also emphasized a greater sense of connectedness with other attendees than at pre-pandemic parties. Findings related to the social functions of parties for young people are interpreted from the perspective of theories of neoliberalism and neotribalism. We conclude that parties have primarily individualistic functions for young people, with distinct ‘patches’ of collectivism.

La pandémie du covid-19 a laissé des conséquences considérables sur la vie des jeunes, en refaçonnant de manière dramatique leur vie sociale en raison de l'interdiction de rassemblement. En outre, certains d'entre eux ne respectaient pas les mesures de protection, ce qui est notamment visible dans le cas des so-irées illégales. Dans cette étude nous avons exploré les fonctions que les fêtes nocturnes peuvent avoir sur les jeunes, ainsi que leur motivation pour transgres-ser l'interdiction de rassemblement. Nous avons mené des entretiens en profon-deur avec 13 jeunes personnes (dont 7 hommes de l'âge de 18–29 ans), et avons analysé les données à l'aide d'une analyse thématique réflexive. La plupart des interrogés se privaient des fêtes nocturnes, perdant un moyen précieux pour se rapprocher des autres et évacuer le stress. Les interrogés qui ont continué à se rendre à des soirées les utilisaient comme un moyen pour gérer le stress lié à la pandémie, soulignant aussi un sentiment plus grand d'intimité dans des soirées illégales que dans des soirées avant la pandémie. Nous avons interprété les résultats qui concernent les fonctions sociales des soirées pour les jeunes à travers le prisme des théories du néolibéralisme et du néotribalisme. Nous concluons que les soirées ont principalement des fonctions individualistes pour les jeunes avec de remarquables « poches » du collectivisme.