Outline two reasons why young people join gangs. Illustrate your answer with examples.
OCR
A Level
2018
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Outline: Reasons Why Young People Join Gangs
This essay will explore two key reasons why young people join gangs, drawing on sociological perspectives and relevant studies. It will focus on the concepts of social deprivation and status frustration, illustrating these with specific examples.
1. Social Deprivation and Resistance
A. Marxist Perspective:Marxist theory suggests that gangs can be seen as a form of resistance against the capitalist system by those experiencing social deprivation. This deprivation can manifest as poverty, lack of opportunities, and alienation.
Example: Studies on working-class youth joining gangs as a means of expressing their dissatisfaction with their economic conditions and lack of social mobility, highlighting their resistance to the structures that perpetuate inequality.
B. Class Resistance and Subcultures:Several sociological studies have focused on the role of gangs in articulating class resistance through specific subcultures.
Examples: Hebdige's study of the Mods and Punks, highlighting how these youth subcultures used style and symbols to challenge mainstream norms, and P. Cohen's study of Skinheads, demonstrating how they used aggression and defiance to express their discontent with their social standing.
2. Status Frustration and Collective Solutions
A. Cohen's Theory:Albert Cohen's theory of status frustration posits that young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds may experience frustration due to their inability to achieve success and recognition within mainstream society. They may turn to gangs as a way to gain status and belonging within their own peer group.
Example: Cohen's study of working-class boys who formed delinquent subcultures, where they achieved status by inverting the values of mainstream society, such as valuing deviance and rebellion.
B. Left Realism:Left realist perspectives highlight the role of social exclusion and marginalisation in gang formation. Young people, particularly those from marginalized communities, may join gangs because they feel excluded or deprived of opportunities, seeking a sense of belonging and identity within a group.
Example: Studies examining the impact of racial discrimination and lack of access to opportunities on gang membership among young people from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Conclusion
In conclusion, young people join gangs for a complex array of reasons that stem from both their social circumstances and their psychological needs. Social deprivation, leading to resistance and rebellion, as well as status frustration and the search for belonging, are key factors that contribute to gang membership. Understanding these motivations is crucial for developing effective strategies to address gang-related issues in society.
Sociological Explanations for Youth Gang Membership
This essay will outline and discuss two key reasons why young people may be drawn into gang membership: firstly, the search for identity and belonging, particularly in the face of social marginalisation; and secondly, the allure of excitement and risk-taking as a response to boredom and lack of opportunity.
Marginalisation and the Search for Identity:
Many sociologists, particularly those working within the Marxist tradition, argue that gang membership is a form of resistance against a capitalist system that systematically disadvantages working-class youth. As argued by Willis in his study of working-class boys, young people who experience educational failure and limited employment prospects may find solace and a sense of belonging within anti-school subcultures and gangs. These groups offer an alternative space where their values and behaviours are validated, contrasting sharply with the mainstream culture that has largely rejected them.
Furthermore, Cohen's theory of status frustration suggests that young people who are unable to achieve status through legitimate means, such as education, may turn to delinquent subcultures like gangs to gain recognition and respect from their peers. This is particularly relevant in communities experiencing social deprivation, where opportunities for upward mobility are scarce, and gang membership can provide a sense of power and control in an otherwise powerless existence. This can be seen in the rise of gangs in marginalized ethnic minority communities, where young people face additional challenges of racism and discrimination, as highlighted by Left Realist perspectives.
The Allure of Risk and Excitement:
Beyond social structures, the work of Katz and Lyng emphasizes the importance of individual agency and the emotional appeal of gang membership. They argue that young people are drawn to the excitement, risk, and "edgework" that gang life offers. This perspective contends that gang activities, even if dangerous, can provide a sense of thrill and purpose that is often lacking in the mundane realities of their everyday lives, particularly for those experiencing social and economic marginalization.
Decker and Van Winkle's "pushes and pulls" theory offers a comprehensive framework by combining both structural and agency factors. They argue that young people are "pushed" into gangs by factors such as poverty, violence, and lack of opportunities, while simultaneously being "pulled" by the allure of belonging, status, and excitement.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding why young people join gangs requires a multifaceted approach that considers both the structural inequalities they face and the individual motivations driving their choices. While the desire for identity, belonging, and resistance against societal marginalization plays a significant role, the allure of excitement and risk in an otherwise bleak landscape cannot be ignored. By addressing the root causes of gang involvement, such as poverty, lack of opportunity, and social exclusion, we can hope to create a society where young people have viable alternatives to gang membership.
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AO1: Knowledge and Understanding
The following list is indicative of possible factors/evidence that candidates may refer to but is not prescriptive or exhaustive:
- Responses may refer to working class joining gangs as a means of resistance to the capitalist system and against their social deprivation (Marxist view).
- Gangs as an exaggerated expression of working class masculinity (e.g. Clarke's study of skinheads).
- Gangs relates to increased affluence of the working class youth (e.g. Jefferson's study of the Teddy Boys).
- Gangs as a form of class resistance (e.g. Hebdige's study of the mods; P. Cohen's study of Skinheads).
- Working class resistance against mainstream media (e.g. Hebdige study of Punks).
- Anti-school subcultures / gangs linked to social class (e.g. Willis).
- Gangs as a collective reaction to status frustration (Eg. Cohen).
- Gangs as a response to relative deprivation or exclusion / marginalisation or racism (left realism).
- Risk, excitement (Pennell et al; Katz; Lyng).
- Decker and Van Winkle - the pulls and pushes of gang membership.
- Harding or Burman – girls in gangs;
- Nightingale – Paradox of inclusion.
- Sewell – triple quandary theory; cultural comfort zones.
- Any other relevant point.
AO2: Application
The selected knowledge should be directly related to the specific question.