Abstract
The aim of my dissertation is to understand body piercing, as a form of body modification, among contemporary high-school youth by understanding its meanings which are ascribed to it by its bearers. My research is based on a premise that youth (sub)culture is a distinct system of meanings, values and norms, which is at the same time in constant interaction with mainstream culture, with which are these meanings, values and norms constantly negotiated.
In addition to researching the process and the product of this practice, by understanding body piercing as a "lived experience", I focus on how is body piercing used and generally lived in their everyday lives. Based on a qualitative analysis of mass media representations of body piercing and semi-structured interviews with body piercing bearers from ranks of Prague high-school and vocational school youth I will try to show how these meanings are established in intersection of discourse of youth, discourse of dominant society and agency of body piercing bearers.