Gangs and a New Warrior Class: Using Norse mead hall traditions, interaction ritual chains and strain theory to explain recruitment strategies

• In Event: Poverty, Inequality and Despair as Criminogenic

Abstract

In the face of being denied normative routes to expressions of masculinity (e.g. education, subsequent “legitimate” career), are new member recruits looking to gangs as a means by which to be accepted into a class of hyper-masculine, modern day warriors? We may immediately prescribe Strain Theory (Merton) to explain the social forces that lead to recruitment, retention, and motivations for advancement within gang culture. However, a synthesis of theories, incorporating Collin’s interaction ritual chains (1981, 2004) offers a micro-macro bridge through which to explain the recursive nature of recruitment, including secrecy and powerful homo-social bonds for which participants are willing to die and to be kill.
Historically midevial Scandinavian literature, including the Norse Eddas, has been used to explain white supremacy groups/gangs appeal. This paper focuses less on the violence associated with gang recruitment per se, but rather on the meaning of promising and completion of ritual boasts within a hyper-masculinized environment (micro processes) mirrored between Norse traditions and contemporary gang culture. As convergent social development is occurring, organisms, including gangs, will evolve in similar fashion in the face of similar social structures, including environmental constraints (macro processes).

Authors

• Laura Lynn Hansen, Western New England University

• James C. Russell, Western New England University