'Gangs are here to stay, no matter what we do'

In his forthcoming  “A world of gangs, armed young men and gangsta culture,” University of Illinois-Chicago's John Hagedorn, fellow at the Great Cities Institute, says the problem of urban organized armed violence is here to stay, and that it will only change when the nihilism and marginalization that sprout in the backyards of globalization are addressed.

Hagedorn contends his research goes against the trend in the academic circles, saying it is important to understand that gangs are social actors, that they emerge as a very real response of disenfranchised youths for the need to express their identities. “They have no jobs”, said Hagedorn, “and they have realized that racism and oppression is not going away. They react in a brutal way turning violence on themselves and their communities.”

A critic of the legacy of criminology that tends to focus on gangs as a local phenomenon, Hagedorn looks at gangs globally. “There is more in common between gangs in the inner cities in Chicago and Los Angeles and the ones in Rio de Janeiro, than with the same gangs in the past,” he says in the introduction of this book.  But just as they are not new, gangs do not have a single face, they “morph”, they take on different shapes and roles becoming ethnic militias, drug posses, vigilantes, mercenaries, political parties, or even religious police.

Outside US academic circles it is the US state department that sees gangs as a global entity. Only the researcher and law enforcement policy makers differ sharply on how to think violence prevention. While state response hinges on repression Hagedorn says the way out of the cycle of gun violence and dominance is to invite those excluded by society to “join broader social movements and shed their violent anti-social skin.”

Absolutely crucial to wage the struggle against misogyny and violence from within

According to Hagedorn the social movements in the 60s failed to do just that, and in this new era the battle against rising homicide rates may be waged in the sphere of culture. Gangsta rap preaching violence and misogyny created by angry armed youths and appropriated by multinationals has become a voice for rebellion. There is however, according to the researcher, in hip hop space for more life affirming message. Speaking to Comunidad Segura, Hagedorn invites us to listen to what the angry young men have to say:

“As far as hip hop, what is absolutely crucial is to wage the struggle against misogyny and violence from within the culture. There are so many healthy, exciting male and female rappers spinning out messages of courage, equality, and justice that can inspire our youth.  The problems of violence and misogyny do not begin with our youth and they fundamentally are problems of the social institutions and culture of the larger society. We need social movements that can unite us old timers with youth to build a better world.”

Chicago and New York gangs success story

In his latest book "Gangs and the global city" Hagedorn considers the future of our cities in many ways tied to the lives of children and youths with no futures. The researcher who contributed to the 10 country study “Neither War nor Peace” on child involvement in armed violence had this to add:

“In gun cultures, youth run the greatest risks. They are also often caught up in young adults serious business, and are more likely to become victims of drug deals gone bad or revenge shootings or police violence. This means we need to take seriously the cultural needs of youth, to support cultural activities that can give meaning to young people's lives away from the nihilistic culture of the streets.”

Above all Hagedorn tells us, it is not the time to romanticize gangs, they are a fundamental and long term characteristic of the global era. Their very changeability however, may be key to hope for change, citing the cases of gangs who successfully morphed into social organizations, such as Chicago’s Conservative Vice Lords or New York City’s Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation of the ´90s. “They left a lasting impression on their communities that has received little recognition.”

Read Further:

Nothing stops a bullet like a job

Modern gangs focus of sumit in LA

Spain's Latin Kings chose civilian life over violence

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