Abstract
This chapter uses original empirical data from marginalized urban communities in Medellín, Colombia, to move beyond simplistic interpretations of male violence by considering the nexus between masculinities and class, gang subculture, and the role of both men and women in the reproduction of urban violence. Conceptually, Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of capital is used to highlight the performance and display of gangland masculine identities, with particular attention given to the complex role that gangland girlfriends play in both reinforcing certain “successful” male gang identities, while simultaneously becoming victims of a sexual violence, namely rape.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Violence at the Urban Margins |
| Editors | Javier Auyero, Philippe Bourgois, Nancy Scheper-Hughes |
| Place of Publication | Oxford |
| Publisher | University Press Scholarship Online |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780190221447 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2015 |
Keywords
- gangs
- urban violence
- male violence
- masculinities
- Medellín
- Bourdieu
- rape
- sexual violence
