Gangs from the Global South: Between youth groups and organized crime
May 12th, 2025
The article Pandillas del Sur Global: entre grupos juveniles y crimen organizado [Gangs from the Global South: Between youth groups and organized crime], published in Revista Mexicana de Sociología, issue 87, volume 1, in 2025, presents a comparative qualitative study of Mexican gangs (pandillas) in Mexico City and South African gangs in Cape Town. The authors, Ignacio Cano, Christian Ascensio, Ismael Galván, and Colin Barendts, propose a definition of gangs that combines sociality and deviance, positioning them within a theoretical continuum ranging from youth groups to organized crime. The central hypothesis of the research is that the position of each gang along this continuum significantly influences its structure, functioning, and recruitment processes. This hypothesis is tested through fieldwork and semi-structured interviews with gang members from both cities. The article highlights how Mexican and South African gangs share numerous common characteristics and values, particularly revolving around the exercise of violence, which constitutes a core element of their identity.
The article can be downloaded here.