Six lines: a methodological agenda for critical gang studies

Fraser, A. and Van Hellemont, E. (2022) Six lines: a methodological agenda for critical gang studies. Critical Criminology, 30(1), pp. 13-28. (doi: 10.1007/s10612-022-09617-0)

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Abstract

In the twenty-first century, the established methodological props for gang research have worn increasingly thin. Place-based definitions involving territorial groups confined to neighbourhood fiefdoms have become increasingly fractured, as shifts in social life increasingly overwhelm and undercut such approaches. This paper seeks to offer a new methodological agenda for transnational gang studies that is premised on the significance of mobility and flow. The paper first sets out a review of existing approaches, drawing on three established lines in critical gang studies—vertical, horizontal and parallel—which are rooted in place. Next, we suggest three emergent lines—circular, radial and transversal—which are designed to interrogate dynamics of mobility and technology in global gang studies. We suggest, in conclusion, that methods based on ‘flow’ should not replace those rooted in ‘place’ but must operate in a dialogue between online and terrestrial space, paying close attention to the role technology plays in shaping social interaction.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Fraser, Professor Alistair
Authors: Fraser, A., and Van Hellemont, E.
College/School:College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Sociology Anthropology and Applied Social Sciences
Journal Name:Critical Criminology
Publisher:Springer
ISSN:1205-8629
ISSN (Online):1572-9877
Published Online:17 March 2022
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2022 The Authors
First Published:First published in Critical Criminology 30(1): 13-28
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

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