Exploring Singapore's hooning & street-racing youths : a nexus of car culture & masculinities

• Main Author: Sofia Mohd Nasir
• Other Authors: Ian Rowen
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: DRNTU::Social sciences
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/73644
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This qualitative study attempts to explore the male-oriented and -dominated car culture of hooning and street-racing. A topic that is extremely understudied in Singapore, this research aims to investigate the factors that may have driven these participants to engage in “risky” driving behaviours, as well as how masculine identities are performed and maintained. A combination of participant observations, structured interviews, informal conversations and document analyses were used to investigate the experiences of a local car group consisting mainly of young, Malay men in their twenties. Influenced by the Fast and Furious franchise, their identities as car enthusiasts are deeply embedded in consumer culture and the urge to actively participate in car-related practices, be it street racing or customizing their cars. Various strategies are employed in maintaining their masculine image and deflecting any assaults directed to their manhood, of which a large part is tethered to their cars.