Anglia Ruskin Research Online (ARRO)
Browse

‘Squashing the Beef’: Combatting Gang Violence and Reforming Masculinity in East London

Download (48.12 kB)
journal contribution
posted on 2023-08-30, 14:58 authored by Gary Armstrong, James Rosbrook-Thompson
The article draws on the findings of two years’ ethnographic fieldwork in exploring how gang activity in Newham, East London is combatted by faith-based organisation, Targeted Against Gangs (TAG). More specifically, the authors examine how TAG seeks to reform the identities of young male gang members according to the principles of what we have called ‘Pentecostal realist masculinity’. The characteristics of this reformed masculinity include an awareness of the racial (and racist) dynamics of criminal and wider society, a focus on individuals thriving within fraternal networks, and the desire to channel creative energies into legitimate entrepreneurial activities. Though this strategy did not mount a direct challenge to the racist societal structures it identified, it was effective in reducing levels of gang violence in East London.

History

Refereed

  • Yes

Volume

12

Issue number

3-4

Page range

285-296

Publication title

Contemporary Social Science: Journal of the Academy of Social Sciences

ISSN

2158-205X

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

File version

  • Accepted version

Language

  • eng

Legacy posted date

2017-10-27

Legacy creation date

2017-10-26

Legacy Faculty/School/Department

ARCHIVED Faculty of Arts, Law & Social Sciences (until September 2018)

Usage metrics

    ARU Outputs

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC