Researching transnational gangs as agents of mediation in the digital era

Abstract

In the XXI century, the traditional conformation of gangs has been altered for several reasons. The present global economic situation changed the context of gangs, and as a feature of this century, Internet and social media have shifted social relations and the way urban gang members interact. Ethnographic data demonstrate that gang members and ex-members are not only involved in crime and deviance but can also act as agents of mediation. How can we understand 21 st century gangs and develop a renewed definition that includes the characteristics of the current era? This chapter aims to develop a transnational, intergenerational, intergeneric and transmedia approach for the gangs of the 21st century, which is different from the local, coetaneous, male, and face to face model used to understand the gangs of the 20 th century. First, a brief walk through different gang traditions worldwide is presented. Secondly, a review of the different attempts to propose a gang definition is provided, from past approaches to more recent ones. Thirdly, the impact of information and communications technology (ICT) on gangs is reviewed. Fourthly, we explore the role of gang members as informal/natural mediators. To conclude, a renewed theoretical approach is proposed to research gangs using traditional and virtual ethnographic methods. The purpose is to provide an accurate picture of current offline and online urban street groups.