The Asian Gang: Ethnicity, Identity, Masculinity

Description

In recent years the British mass media have 'discovered' a new and urgent social problem - the Asian 'gang'. Images of urban deprivation and 'the Underclass' have combined with fears of growing youth militancy and masculinities-in-crisis to position Asian, and especially Muslim, young men as the new folk devil. This reimagination of Asian young men has focused on violence, drug abuse and crime, set against a backdrop of cultural conflict, generational confusion and religious fundamentalism. The Asian 'gang', it seems, is the inevitable product of these social forces. But what is the reality? Based on three years' fieldwork with a group of Bangladeshi young men in inner-city London, this book attempts to explore the complex mythologies and realities of contemporary Asian youth experience. Taking the 'gang' as its starting point, the study examines the interaction of representation and reality, ethnicity and masculinity in a textured, in-depth and personal perspective that challenges traditional views on Asian communities and identities.

Claire Alexander Lecturer in Sociology,London School of Economics

'Refreshing and highly readable.' Contemporary Sociology 'Alexander's book is a fascinating analysis of the social construction and demonisation of Asian young men as members of "the Asian Gang" ... A fascinating and challenging account of the construction of meaning of racialised masculinity and a welcome addition to studies of the social construction of identity.' Gender, Place and Culture 'It is rare to find a book that comes anywhere near allowing its informants to 'live and breathe' within the scope of its bleached pages. Claire Alexander's book on young 'Bengali' men in London does just that.' Ethnic and Racial Studies 'This is an exceptional book that is both lucid and engaged ... The Asian Gang could be a landmark in how to conduct social research.' Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 'Through interviews with several young people Alexander nicely debunks the notion that they might embrace a unified Asian identity based exclusively (or primarily) on ethnicity.' Current Sociology