Do-it-yourself: How punk culture shapes society!

Do-it-yourself: How punk culture shapes society!

PD Dr. Anna Daniel from the FernUniversität in Hagen received her Venia Legendi on September 3, 2025. This is a significant step in her academic career at the Faculty of Cultural and Social Sciences. Her habilitation thesis has the succinct title “The Art of Doing It Differently – A Sociology of Critical Practice Following Foucault’s Late Work”.

In her work, Daniel illuminates the roots of the do-it-yourself (DIY) movements and their connections to the punk scene of the 1980s. This analysis pays particular attention to do-it-yourself practices, such as gardening and container building, and their increasing prevalence in society. She argues that these DIY initiatives must be viewed as a direct response to current societal ills. Daniel criticizes the lack of a suitable theoretical approach to adequately capture this form of social criticism.

Foucault's influence and punk roots

A central aspect of Daniel's research is her reference to Michel Foucault's late lectures, which promote a broader understanding of criticism. Foucault's historical analyzes of critical practices serve as the basis for Daniel's development of his own “sociology of critical practice”. In this theory she emphasizes that local struggles should be supported.

The punk scene that emerged in the United Kingdom in the 1970s is considered to be the origin of DIY culture. This movement was characterized by a strong sense of independence and a strong sense of community. Bands like Minor Threat and Black Flag not only delivered independent music, but also criticized the commercial sell-out of their art.

DIY and material culture

The aesthetics and practical principles of the punk movement also influence today's material culture and styling. Styling is often viewed as a form of craft that involves creating an individual image through modifications and combinations of existing items. This is also reflected in the DIY aesthetic characteristic of the punk movement, which deviates significantly from the middle class.

The adaptation and recycling of clothing, often symbolized by iconic elements such as safety pins, was a hallmark of early punk fashion. This strategy allowed the movement's representatives to actively protest against stagnating social conditions and to create their own identity. Fashion designers such as Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren played a crucial role in creating and commercializing this punk aesthetic in the 1970s.

Daniel herself integrates these historical and cultural fundamental questions into her analysis to paint a clearer picture of current DIY practices. In her opinion, the current DIY culture is strongly linked to the social struggles of the past and signals an effort to go against social norms and structures.

The spread of DIY initiatives is not only limited to the punk scene, but also includes other music genres such as hip-hop and electronic, which share similar principles of DIY and independence that play an important role in Daniel's research.

For detailed information about Anna Daniels Venia Legendi and her innovative research, please visit FernUniversität in Hagen. For more details on the cultural and social dimensions of the DIY aesthetic, see Fashion heritage and University of Graz.