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University of Nevada, Las Vegas

The Sex Pistols: Punk rock as protest rhetoric

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

This thesis examines the punk music of the Sex Pistols as protest rhetoric. Seven of the songs on the album Never Mind the Bollocks Heres the Sex Pistols are analyzed for their content. The analysis utilizes the theory of symbolic convergence and its coinciding fantasy theme analysis along with ego-function of protest rhetoric. Through the analysis it is found that punk rock is in fact protest rhetoric as defined and explained by the theory of ego-function. The guides of this theory explain the emergence of punk music and the resulting culture. Symbolic convergence theory and fantasy theme analysis examines the messages within the text and how they express the ideas, beliefs, and values of the punk culture. This provides a better understanding of punk culture and the messages communicated in the songs of the Sex Pistols.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Arts (MA)
Level thesis:degree_level
Thesis
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Communication Studies
Grantor dc:publisher
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Year
2002

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Byers, Cari Elaine
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Dolores Tanno

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Language dc:language
English

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:oasis.library.unlv.edu:rtds-2422

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
University of Nevada - Las Vegas
Base URL
oasis.library.unlv.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Byers, Cari Elaine. The Sex Pistols: Punk rock as protest rhetoric. Thesis thesis, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2002. https://doi.org/10.25669/yfq8-0mgs