CAREER: Gangs, Underground Economies and, the African-American Urban Community

Columbia University, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

SES-9984082 Sudhir Venkatesh The CAREER proposal seeks funding to extend the PI's ethnographic research on urban gangs in "Bronzeville" in Chicago, Illinois by adding a comparison group in Harlem, New York and adding a historical framework. The research explores the relationship of the underground economy and the gang, which involves interaction with over 100 gang members in these two communities over a two-year period. Specifically, the project will examine community-based dynamics and street gang activity (i.e., what is the relationship between a community and the gang's community-based activities); ways in which individuals age in the gang; and the centrality of underground economies (or non-state regulated economy) in the social reproduction of the trade of illicit and licit goods and services. The study enhances research on gangs by being one of a few longitudinal studies in this area and by using multiple methods. This longitudinal study enables the PI to examine life-course development of gang members. Data collected using multi-methods (i.e., participant observation, historical analysis, and interviews and survey methods) allows the investigator conduct a more comprehensive and thorough analyses. For example, the analysis of historical materials and interviews with older community members permits the PI to trace the start of the gangs' involvement in the underground economy to better understand why members became involved. Participant observation allows the investigator to develop relationships necessary to see "what is really going on," an essential aspect of all research with gangs and others who are suspicious of outsiders. Interviews with both gang members and other entrepreneurs lets the PI to develop an understanding of the economic landscape while the surveys will permit him to follow the economic accounts of the several of the underground entrepreneurs. The research demonstrates the application of several methodologies to an empirical case, i.e., demonstrates how the simultaneous incorporation of multiple techniques can be used to yield insights that move beyond the use of one in isolation. To allow students and faculty to benefit from this comprehensive methodological approach which integrates quantitative and qualitative methods, the PI will sponsor a workshop on "quantitative analysis of qualitative data," and teach two seminars on the use of multiple methodologies. Additionally, the substantive findings from the project will be disseminated to students through an advance undergraduate and graduate course on sociology and the black community.