Subcultural Protest as a Form of Cultural Transformation in the Conditions of Digital Age

Abstract

Research aim: to comprehensively analyze the phenomenon of subcultural protest as a form of cultural transformation in the digital age, particularly within the Ukrainian context of war, visual communication, and changes in cultural identity; to identify characteristic visual and semiotic protest strategies; and to trace their role in shaping new models of youth identity and cultural resistance. Methodological basis: The study employs an interdisciplinary approach integrating visual analysis methods to identify visual, semiotic, and communicative strategies of subcultural protest; content analysis of digital media (social networks, memes, digital art) to examine contemporary forms of protest communication; case studies of key Ukrainian visual protest projects (digital posters, NFT initiatives, memetic campaigns) to reveal local features of cultural resistance during the war; discourse analysis of texts and visual materials of subcultural communities to analyze the articulation of alternative identities and social resistance; and empirical observation of online communities and digital platforms—studying content, audience reactions, and participation in visual protest actions in real time. Scientific novelty: The study offers an interdisciplinary analysis of subcultural transformations in the digital era, especially within the Ukrainian sociocultural context shaped by war, globalization, and network technologies. Conclusions: In the digital age, subculture transforms into a flexible network phenomenon combining protest rhetoric, visual aesthetics, and new forms of identity. It serves not only as a channel for expressing resistance but also as a space for cultural self-realization among youth. The Ukrainian context is particularly significant, where subcultural aesthetics acquire features of national cultural resistance under wartime conditions. At the same time, the integration of subcultures into mass culture carries the risk of losing critical potential. The study also clarifies the functions of digital visual content (notably memes) as a means of horizontal influence based on shared cultural coding, parody, and satire. This approach represents digital subculture not merely as a marginal or youth phenomenon but as a powerful component of contemporary cultural processes.