Hip Hop style on trial
The NYTimes had a decent article on the growing criminalization of low slung pants, and how it reflects opinions of hip hop style in general (and of course the people who wear it). Pretty good article with some historical references. The effectiveness of this type of regulating of people’s appearance to achieve behavior goals is often masked in discussions of modesty or normality. There is always research supporting the validity of these mandates, but I am always a little leery of it. My dissertation research is heading in this general direction but we’ll discuss it more another time…
