Counterculture is the culture and lifestyle of a group of people (especially the youth) who reject or oppose the dominant culture i.e. the norms, values and behavior of the mainstream society. The practices and behaviors of a set of people that are considered a counterculture fundamentally and substantially differ from those of the mainstream society. A counterculture often aspires and stands in opposition to mainstream cultural traditions.

Counterculture does not oppose the mainstream only; rather it stands against, in some ways, the mass culture (the 'media culture), and it also rejects conventional middle-class culture and its norm, values and practices. In that reference, counterculture is sometimes described as a generational conflict and rejection of older values.

Examples of contercultures might include the feminist movement, the LGBTQ+ community, the Green Movements, environmental movement, #MeToo movement, or other movements against establishments etc.

Counterculture is also expressed as: contra, underground, alternative, radical, revolutionary, unconventional, unorthodox, avant-garde, experimental, innovative, or undergrow culture.

American sociologist John Milton Yinger (1916–2011) originated the term 'contraculture' in an article titled 'Contraculture and Subculture' published in the American Sociological Review (1960). In his article, Yinger suggested the term 'contraculture' to describe a theme of conflict of a group against the values of the total society or the dominant culture. But some scholars credit Theodore Roszak (1933–2011), an American academic and author of the book 'The Making of a Counter Culture' (1969) for coining the term 'counterculture'.

Resources
Crouch, Colin (1971). 'Book Review: The Making of a Counter Culture; The Youth Culture, and The Universities.' Sociology.
Fountain, Nigel (1988). Underground: the London Alternative Press, 1966–74. Taylor & Francis. ISBN: 0-415-00728-3.
Gelder, Ken (2007). Subcultures: Cultural Histories and Social Practice. Routledge. ISBN-10: 0415379520; ISBN-13: 978-0415379526.
Hebdige, Dick (1979). Subculture: The Meaning of Style. New Accents.
Hodkinson, Paul and Deicke, Wolfgang (2007). Youth Cultures: Scenes, Subcultures and Tribes. Routledge Advances in Sociology (Book 10).
Kirk, Jerome (1970). 'Book Review: The Making of a Counter Culture.' The American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 75, No. 5, March 1970.
Roszak, Theodore (1969). The Making of a Counter Culture: Reflections on the Technocratic Society and Its Youthful Opposition. New York. ISBN 978-0-385-07329-5.
Wassen, Richard (1970). 'Book Review: The Making of a Counter Culture Hi.' College English, Vol. 31, No. 6 (March 1970).
Yinger, J. Milton (1960). 'Contraculture and Subculture'. American Sociological Review. 25 (5): 625–635. doi:10.2307/2090136.