Periodic Reporting for period 4 - TRANSGANG (Transnational Gangs as Agents of Mediation: Experiences of Conflict Resolution in Street Youth Organizations in Southern Europe, North Africa and the Americas)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2022-07-01 do 2023-06-30
TRANSGANG’s precept is the study of transnational gangs as mediation agents. It aims to respond to the persistence of street youth groups (the so-called 'gangs') being seen as 'problematic'. In particular, we are interested in studying the 'transnationalization' process of these groups from two directions: 'from above' (imaginaries, symbols, criminal and police policies to deal with them) and 'from below' (imagined and practiced communities of mutual aid, through migratory processes and virtual interactions).
The main challenges we address during the project are:
a. To review the historical literature on youth gangs in order to elaborate a theoretical synthesis.
b. To develop a renewed model for the analysis of transnational gangs in the global age.
c. To apply an experimental model for comparing gangs in two groups: Latinos and Arabs.
d. To explore experiences in which gangs have acted as mediation agents, as well as barriers that block these attempts.
e. To determine more effective ways of intervening to prevent the hegemony of the criminal gang pattern.
This project is important for society for three main reasons. First, it responds to a problem that causes social alarm based on a biased view of reality. Second, the transnational dimension of gangs requires developing innovative methodologies for studying them. Third, learning about and sharing successful mediation experiences in different places can be used to rethink public policies aimed at addressing the phenomenon. Therefore, we consider that TRANSGANG will provide a new look at social problems that are difficult to tackle, empowering the young participants, making the protagonists of the problem part of the solution by incorporating them from the beginning as agents of the research.
The main challenges we address during the project are:
a. To review the historical literature on youth gangs in order to elaborate a theoretical synthesis.
b. To develop a renewed model for the analysis of transnational gangs in the global age.
c. To apply an experimental model for comparing gangs in two groups: Latinos and Arabs.
d. To explore experiences in which gangs have acted as mediation agents, as well as barriers that block these attempts.
e. To determine more effective ways of intervening to prevent the hegemony of the criminal gang pattern.
This project is important for society for three main reasons. First, it responds to a problem that causes social alarm based on a biased view of reality. Second, the transnational dimension of gangs requires developing innovative methodologies for studying them. Third, learning about and sharing successful mediation experiences in different places can be used to rethink public policies aimed at addressing the phenomenon. Therefore, we consider that TRANSGANG will provide a new look at social problems that are difficult to tackle, empowering the young participants, making the protagonists of the problem part of the solution by incorporating them from the beginning as agents of the research.
The initial phase (months 1-24) focused on a systematic review of the historical literature on youth gangs [Objective 1]. The first milestone was the kick-off conference held in October 2018 in Barcelona, with the participation of the members of the project’s scientific committee. This was a starting point for theoretical and methodological discussions to determine the key research concepts and problems. This work continued with the preparation of a series of digital publications included in the TRANSGANG Working Papers collection: the Concept Paper defined the theoretical and methodological development resulting from the bibliographic research; the Legal Considerations defined the legal and ethical framework of mandatory compliance and application in each of the locations. Once the research team had been formed, local researchers produced the Background Papers about Southern Europe, North Africa and the Americas, in which the literature on youth groups is analysed. Conceptual analysis allowed us to establish the methodology for fieldwork and the subsequent analysis process: five clusters were determined, allowing a controlled comparison of the field data collected in the different locations.
In the central phase (months 25-48), the goal was to obtain significant field data in each of the base locations for meta-ethnographic comparison [Objectives 2-3]. We developed a model for the analysis of transnational youth gangs in the global era, defined in the Methodology Handbook. By using the same methods and techniques to collect qualitative data, it is ensured that the different cases can be treated as a single multi-sited ethnographic study. Just when fieldwork was starting in the twelve cities, the pandemic broke out, forcing us to reconsider the work plan and find solutions for researching street youth groups when the public space had disappeared. Making a virtue of necessity, we took advantage of the situation to schedule a periodic Training Seminar, in which the whole team participated and this was used to share the initial results of the project. We also focused on virtual ethnography and on special features (Gangpedia and Documentary Films).
The final phase of the project (months 49-66) was affected by the consequences of the pandemic and the six-month extension of the end of the project. It focused on analysis and dissemination activities, especially on the mediation experiences and the renewed policy model [Objectives 4 and 5]. We applied NVivo qualitative analysis software to analyse and interpret the data obtained at three levels: local analysis by each researcher, regional analysis by the three ethnographic coordinators, and transnational analysis by the Principal Investigator. During this period the four documentary films were finished and the rest of the Working Papers were published, in addition to several books and special issues. In May 2023, we organised the Final Conference and the activities associated with it: premiere of the documentaries, exhibition and dissemination activities. Lastly, we published two of the principal outcomes of the project: the TRANSGANG White Paper and the TRANSGANG Final Reports, collecting the three ethnographic findings on street youth groups and mediation in Southern Europe, North Africa and the Americas, and the four transversal reports on Social Networks, Media Representations, Documentary Films and Social Perceptions Survey.
In the central phase (months 25-48), the goal was to obtain significant field data in each of the base locations for meta-ethnographic comparison [Objectives 2-3]. We developed a model for the analysis of transnational youth gangs in the global era, defined in the Methodology Handbook. By using the same methods and techniques to collect qualitative data, it is ensured that the different cases can be treated as a single multi-sited ethnographic study. Just when fieldwork was starting in the twelve cities, the pandemic broke out, forcing us to reconsider the work plan and find solutions for researching street youth groups when the public space had disappeared. Making a virtue of necessity, we took advantage of the situation to schedule a periodic Training Seminar, in which the whole team participated and this was used to share the initial results of the project. We also focused on virtual ethnography and on special features (Gangpedia and Documentary Films).
The final phase of the project (months 49-66) was affected by the consequences of the pandemic and the six-month extension of the end of the project. It focused on analysis and dissemination activities, especially on the mediation experiences and the renewed policy model [Objectives 4 and 5]. We applied NVivo qualitative analysis software to analyse and interpret the data obtained at three levels: local analysis by each researcher, regional analysis by the three ethnographic coordinators, and transnational analysis by the Principal Investigator. During this period the four documentary films were finished and the rest of the Working Papers were published, in addition to several books and special issues. In May 2023, we organised the Final Conference and the activities associated with it: premiere of the documentaries, exhibition and dissemination activities. Lastly, we published two of the principal outcomes of the project: the TRANSGANG White Paper and the TRANSGANG Final Reports, collecting the three ethnographic findings on street youth groups and mediation in Southern Europe, North Africa and the Americas, and the four transversal reports on Social Networks, Media Representations, Documentary Films and Social Perceptions Survey.
Among the principal achievements of the project, we consider that three could be considered as breakthroughs beyond the state of the art:
1 Gangs and Multi-lateral Transnationalism. Most of the research on gangs has been based on the North American model of local, male, street-based and troublesome youth groups. The decolonial perspective of TRANSGANG has emphasized a cross-cultural approach to the phenomenon, starting from the street youth groups actually existing in the three regions studied, analysing local categories, and favouring examples of transnational, mixed gangs, which are not necessarily violent and combine the street with cyberspace. (See https://repositori.upf.edu/handle/10230/45215?locale-attribute=es).
2 Gangs and Co-mediation. The White Paper has analysed experiences of intercultural and intergenerational mediation in the twelve cities researched, which are summarized in the three proposed models: Care Mediation, Mutuality Mediation and Hybrid Mediation. In addition to demonstrating that there are efficient and viable models which can be used as an alternative to criminal models, research has emphasized co-mediation, which involves a diversity of actors, including researchers, stakeholders, and current and former members of street youth groups. (See https://repositori.upf.edu/handle/10230/57745).
3 Ethics as an Added Value in Gang Research. The follow-up of tasks performed by the Ethical Advisory Board (EAB) has made it possible to further explore the ethical procedures from a theoretical and methodological perspective concerning ethnographic research. This was carried out based on the bi-monthly reports produced by the fieldworkers themselves (an innovative method in ethnography) and by holding discussion meetings in which local researchers, ethical and ethnographic regional coordinators were involved. EAB's involvement throughout the research process has made it possible for ethics to be an added value to the project rather than a problem. (See https://repositori.upf.edu/handle/10230/45171).
1 Gangs and Multi-lateral Transnationalism. Most of the research on gangs has been based on the North American model of local, male, street-based and troublesome youth groups. The decolonial perspective of TRANSGANG has emphasized a cross-cultural approach to the phenomenon, starting from the street youth groups actually existing in the three regions studied, analysing local categories, and favouring examples of transnational, mixed gangs, which are not necessarily violent and combine the street with cyberspace. (See https://repositori.upf.edu/handle/10230/45215?locale-attribute=es).
2 Gangs and Co-mediation. The White Paper has analysed experiences of intercultural and intergenerational mediation in the twelve cities researched, which are summarized in the three proposed models: Care Mediation, Mutuality Mediation and Hybrid Mediation. In addition to demonstrating that there are efficient and viable models which can be used as an alternative to criminal models, research has emphasized co-mediation, which involves a diversity of actors, including researchers, stakeholders, and current and former members of street youth groups. (See https://repositori.upf.edu/handle/10230/57745).
3 Ethics as an Added Value in Gang Research. The follow-up of tasks performed by the Ethical Advisory Board (EAB) has made it possible to further explore the ethical procedures from a theoretical and methodological perspective concerning ethnographic research. This was carried out based on the bi-monthly reports produced by the fieldworkers themselves (an innovative method in ethnography) and by holding discussion meetings in which local researchers, ethical and ethnographic regional coordinators were involved. EAB's involvement throughout the research process has made it possible for ethics to be an added value to the project rather than a problem. (See https://repositori.upf.edu/handle/10230/45171).