“I felt more at home than being at home” A qualitative study about collective identities within the culture of Cape Town gangs

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine how different social factors and components help form and maintain a collective identity and a sense of belonging within the existing gang culture of Cape Town gangs. Furthermore, we reflected on what type of preventative interventions that could be helpful when addressing the issue of gangs. The study was conducted through four interviews with five informants with different knowledge about Cape Town gangs. We used a qualitative method throughout the study and combined a narrative and a content method of analysis. When analyzing the data, we used these two methods along with a theoretical framework including sociological and social-psychological theories to help us understand how collective identities are created and maintained. This study showed that social factors like social relations and socio-economic circumstances contributed to a collective identity within these gangs. The history, context and stories that the gangs shared were other factors that we found to be contributing.