European Street Gangs and Urban Violence

This chapter provides readers with an insight into gang-related violence, and responses to gang-related violence, across a number of major European cities. To this end, it brings together city-specific sections written by subject experts who have resided and conducted research in four European countries: the UK, Belgium, Russia and Sweden. Each section of the chapter follows a similar structure: first, we provide contextual information about gangs in each city; second, we discuss data on gang member demographics; third, we consider the nature and scale of gang-related urban violence; and fourth, we outline some of the main policy responses, including public health approaches, intended to reduce gang violence. By providing an in-depth examination of the selected cities, the chapter provides some indication of the diversity of gangs and gang-related violence across Europe, while also indicating important areas of convergence. In addition, it performs the useful function of flagging areas where evidence is currently lacking and in need of better data-recording practices and further research

Legalization by Commodification: The (Ir)relevance of Fashion Styles and Brands in Street Gangster Performance

Throughout the history of gang ethnography, particular dress codes and fashion styles have always been perceived as representations of gang culture. However, since its beginning, many young men enjoyed gang fashion without ‘being’ a gang member. Today, an ever-growing global fashion industry transforms street styles into commodities which are sold to and consumed by a much wider audience than ‘the streets’ inhabitants. This endows street styles, and in this chapter gang fashion, with a semantic ambiguity. While keeping its criminal connotations, gang aesthetics are normalized in the commodification process. This process enables, for instance, consumers of gangsta rap to enjoy gang fashion, but the semantic ambiguity also renders ‘true’ gangster performance more difficult