The hipster subculture and its representation in Lena Dunham’s tv series girls.

Abstract

Hipsters are considered as one of the most relevant American subcultures at present. However, the term hipster is notoriously difficult to define and has not received sufficient academic attention, especially when referring to women. Thus, one of the main objectives of this interdisciplinary study is to reverse this situation by bringing to light information and bibliography about this prominent cultural phenomenon in the US context. To prove its importance, this theoretical aspect will be complemented by its practical implementation, as this essay includes the evaluation of the representation of the hipster in one of the main cultural products which have reflected it, television and, more concretely, in Lena Dunham’s TV series, Girls. This analysis responds to the aim of discerning if Girls’s alleged hipsterism can be considered authentic and of elucidating the reasons that may have led Dunham to this choice for the creation of her characters and, also, for her self-branding.