Countering network poverty as a precursor to gang membership: bridging and social capital through temporary migration research and practice

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to disseminate previous street gang research by Hesketh (2018) and the ongoing practice of Box (2015) in countering network poverty as a precursor to gang membership through bridging/social mixing. Findings The findings draw attention to the considerable amount of research, media reports and government policy that has intensified and pathologised the issue of gang membership and its causes in the UK. Moreover, they identify the effects of marginalisation and limited opportunity as the main protagonists and highlight how young disenfranchised people some more resilient than others cope with growing up in areas void of legitimate life choices and positive networks. In particular, the study finds evidence that bridging and the resulting social mixing as a result of temporary migration was highly significant in the decision to conform, desist or abstain from gang membership. Research limitations/implications Liverpool study involved males only (need to examine females within the Merseyside area) although London practice addresses both young men and women. The paper highlights the impact of bridging as an intervention in countering network poverty and friendship networks restricted to marginalised environments, leaving many young people vulnerable to gang involvement, knife and youth crime. Practical implications Impact of bridging on young people in the development of good social capital is as follows: it highlights actual practice of findings in deterring young people away from gangs and criminality; it highlights the need for more interventions aimed at bridging communities; and it identifies the need for interventions around young disenfranchised people (social intelligence). Social implications The evidence suggests that interventions involving bridging both internally and externally can be instrumental in developing policy that aims to deter young people away from street crime. Originality/value The paper attempts to provide originality in highlighting a process that has not been fully implemented within current policy involving young disenfranchised people, gangs and violence.

Working for a better future: exploring how network capital fosters Laotian migrant workers in Thai family SMEs

“…Figure 4 Forming self-network and broker network of Laotian migrant workers Source: Authors' own creation literature on self-network and agent network capital between home-sending and host-receiving countries (Das et al, 2020;Koltai et al, 2020;Orsini and Magnier-Watanabe, 2023). In line with the work undertaken by Crowley-Henry et al (2021), Daovisan and Chamaratana (2021), Godin and Don (2021), Hesketh and Box (2020), Longoni et al (2019) and Phukrongpet et al (2022), we theorised that social networks are associated with human networks and financial networks in Thai family SMEs.…”

“…Although stable networks depend on the agency, strong ties may result in family firm needs, which grow in a self-network as sources of transnational migration (Wu et al , 2022). Following Chung et al (2020), Crowley-Henry et al (2021), Daovisan and Chamaratana (2021), Hesketh and Box (2020) and Prasad et al (2022) mentioned that the network capital concept includes the source of capital, the mechanism of capital, the objective of capital and the impact of capital. Karayianni et al (2023) claimed that the network capital concept relates to interpersonal ties with family firms to drive transnational networks.…”

“…This is distinctly patterned network capital in host-labour-receiving countries that has existed in literature (Moret, 2020; Pham et al , 2019; Schapendonk et al , 2020; Sunam et al , 2021; Tipayalai, 2020; Ullah et al , 2019; Vigneswaran, 2020). Firstly, this research provides new theoretical insights into the mechanisms underlying network capital – chain, social, human and financial networks (Christ, 2020; Clark and Lisowski, 2019; Hesketh and Box, 2020). Secondly, the research contributes to the understanding of Laotian migrant workers in Thai family SMEs (Sakulsri, 2020; Statham et al , 2020).…”

Its scouse soldier’s lad init! An examination of modern Urban street gangs on Merseyside

“…Constant reinforcement came from peers who shared the same views. Put simply the study noted that young disenfranchised people who have restricted friendship networks have no opportunity to meet and develop diverse social capital from beyond the area in which they live, as such this over a prolonged period can contribute to network poverty 13 (Hesketh and Box, 2020). In summing up this situation, one participant commented: "it was on my doorstep, I had no choice".…”

“…This could be achieved via activities both inside and outside of residential locality as a protective factor covering both peer and neighbourhood domains. From this perspective, Hesketh and Box (2020) have found that getting young people away from deviant peers to interact with other young people and adults beyond residential locality can be decisive in diverting individuals away from not only street gang involvement but also the need to entwine identity with territory. Interestingly, the earlier Smithson et al (2009) research made two critical observations to justify this latter assertion.…”