http://worldcat.org/entity/work/id/235557610

The gang

"While gangs and gang culture have been around for countless centuries, The Gang is one of the first academic studies of the phenomenon. Originally published in 1927, Frederic M. Thrasher's magnum opus offers a profound and careful analysis of hundreds of gangs in Chicago in the early part of the twentieth century. With rich prose and an eye for detail, Thrasher looks specifically at the way in which urban geography shapes gangs, and posits the thesis that neighborhoods in flux are more likely to produce gangs. Moreover, he traces culture back to feudal and medieval power systems and links tribal ethos in other societies to codes of honor and glory found in American gangs. Thrasher approaches his subject with empathy and insightfulness and creates a multifaceted and textured portrait that still has much to offer to readers today. With handsome images that evoke the era, The Gang not only explores an important moment in the history of Chicago, but also is itself a landmark in the history of sociology and subcultural theory. This second edition, published in 1936, adds a final chapter to the 1927 book." -- Back of cover.

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