There and Back Again: Linking Online and Offline Spaces in/of Czech Emo Subculture

Abstract

This chapter examines the recent popularity of emo subculture in Prague and other cities in the Czech Republic, focusing on the role of online and offline spaces in this latest emo resurgence and the interrelation of these spaces (public and private), as manifested and constructed by subcultural practices. Based on ethnographic research of contemporary Czech emo subculture both online and offline, the conclusion is reached that even if emo is a prime example of a contemporary new-mediated subculture unable to exist without online modes of communication, emo still puts great emphasis on communication offline, giving it at least as much importance as online interaction. It is further argued that even if online and offline are distinguishable analytically, they are quite inseparable in Czech emo practice.