Youth Gangs, Violence and Social Respect ― Exploring the Nature of Provocations and Punch-ups

This is the first book dedicated to Australian youth gangs, exploring the subtleties and nuances of street life for young men and their quest for social respect. It focuses specifically on group violence and the ways in which the 'gang' provides a forum for the expression of this violence.

White argues that what happens on the street demands a holistic analysis which takes into account the interrelationships between class circumstance, masculinity, race and ethnicity. Gangs and gang violence are thus 'made' in the crucible of specific histories, specific neighbourhoods and specific social contexts. Based upon many years of research, and drawing upon the theoretical insights of international literature in this area, this book provides a sustained analysis and portrayal of youth violence and youth gangs – one that includes and highlights the voices and viewpoints of the young people themselves.

Rob White is Professor of Criminology in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Tasmania, Australia. He is author of Juvenile Justice: Youth and Crime in Australia (with Chris Cunneen) and Youth and Society (with Johanna Wyn), and editor of Youth Subcultures: Theory, History and the Australian Experience, and the three-volume Doing Youth Work in Australia Series (Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies).