Delinquent Subcultures: Sociological Interpretations of Gang Delinquency

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Delinquent Subcultures: Sociological Interpretations of Gang Delinquency Delinquent Subcultures: Sociological Interpretations of Gang Delinquency By DAVID J. BORDUA ABSTRACT: Group delinquency has been of theoretical in- terest to American sociology for more than half a century. During that time, four major interpretations of the origins of gang delinquency and delinquent subcultures have emerged. The classical view developed by Thrasher focuses on the de- velopment of spontaneous groups under conditions of weak social control and social disorganization. Two other views, somewhat akin, emphasize the adjustment problems of lower class boys and stress respectively the status deprivation of such boys when they fail to place well according to the middle class measuring rod and the alienation produced when opportunities to achieve universally demanded success goals are denied lower class boys. Another view is that of the lower class street gang and its way of life as the adolescent version of a more general adult life style, namely, lower class culture. There is a no- ticeable tendency in the recent theories to emphasize irrational explanations of gang delinquency, to view the boys who par- ticipate as driven rather than attracted, and polemical pres- sures have tended to produce extreme theoretical interpreta- tions. David J. Bordua, Ph.D., Ann Arbor, Michigan, is Assistant Professor in the Depart- ment of Sociology at the University of Michigan. He received his doctorate from Har- vard in 1957 and has published on theories ofdelinquency, authoritarianism, college aspirations of high school youth, and the use of formal selection instruments to detect delinquents at an early age. 119 120 problem of group delinquency The theoretical interpretations I will TL HEhas been a subject of theoretical discuss all confine themselves to gang interest for American sociologists and delinquency of this sort. other social observers for well over a THE CLASSICAL VIEW half century. In the course of that pe- riod, the group nature of delinquency Still the best book on gangs, gang de- has come to be a central starting point linquency, and-though he did not use for many theories of delinquency, and the term-delinquent subcultures is The delinquency causation has been seen by Gang by Frederick M. Thrasher, and some sociologists as pre-eminently a his formulations are the ones that I process whereby the individual becomes have labeled &dquo;the classical view.&dquo; Not associated with a group which devotes that he originated the basic interpreta- some or all of its time to planning, com- tive framework, far from it, but his mitting, or celebrating delinquencies and application of the theoretical materials which has elaborated a set of lifeways available at the time plus his sensitivity -a subculture-which encourages and to the effects of social environment and justifies behavior defined as delinquent his willingness to consider processes at by the larger society. all behavioral levels from the basic In addition to the processes whereby needs of the child to the significance of an individual takes on the beliefs and the saloon, from the nature of city gov- norms of a pre-existing group and ernment to the crucial importance of thereby becomes delinquent-a process the junk dealer, from the consequences mysterious enough in itself in many of poverty to the nature of leadership cases-there is the more basic, and in in the gang ~till distinguish his book.’ many respects more complex, problem Briefly, Thrasher’s analysis may be of how such groups begin in the first characterized as operating on the fol- place. What are the social conditions lowing levels. The ecological processes that facilitate or cause the rise of de- which determine the structure of the linquency-carrying groups? What are city create the interstitial area charac- the varying ne’eds and motives satisfied terized by a variety of indices of con- in individuals by such groups? What flict, disorganization, weak family and processes of planned social control might neighborhood controls, and so on. In be useable in preventing the rise of such these interstitial areas, in response to groups or in redirecting the behavior universal childhood needs, spontaneous and moral systems of groups already in play groups develop. Because of the existence? All these questions and many relatively uncontrolled nature of these others have been asked for at least two groups-or of many of them at least- generations. Within the limits of this and because of the presence of many at- brief paper, it is impossible to present tractive and exciting opportunities for and analyze in detail the many an- fun and adventure, these groups engage swers to these questions which have in a variety of activities, legal and been put forward by social scientists. illegal, which are determined, defined, What I can do is single out a few of and directed by the play group itself the major viewpoints and concentrate rather than by conventional adult su- on them. pervision. In its more well-developed and ex- The crowded, exciting slum streets treme forms, gang or subcultural delin- teem with such groups. Inevitably, in quency has been heavily concentrated in 1 Frederick M. Thrasher, The Gang (Chi- the low status areas of our large cities. cago: University of Chicago Press, 1927). 121 a situation of high population density, importance here. The junk dealer, espe- limited resources, and weak social con- cially the junk wagon peddler, the con- trol, they come into conflict with each venient no-questions-asked attitudes of other for space, playground facilities, large numbers of local adults who buy reputation. Since many of their activi- &dquo;hot&dquo; merchandise, and the early knowl- ties, even at an early age, are illegal, edge that customers are available all although often not feloniously so- help to make theft easy and profitable they swipe fruit from peddlers, turn as well as morally acceptable.22 over garbage cans, stay away from home all night and steal milk and cakes for Nonutilitayidn? breakfast, play truant from school- It is appropriate at this point to deal they also come into conflict with adult with a matter that has become impor- authority. Parents, teachers, merchants, tant in the discussion of more recent police, and others become the natural theories of group delinquency. This is enemies of this kind of group and at- Albert K. Cohen’s famous characteriza- tempt to control it or to convert it to tion of the delinquent subculture as more conventional activities. With some nonutilitarian, by which he seems to groups they succeed, with some they mean that activities, especially theft, do not. are not oriented to calculated economic If the group continues, it becomes ends part of a network of similar groups, in- Thrasher makes a great point of the creasingly freed from adult restraint, in- play and adventure quality of many creasingly involved in intergroup con- illegal acts, especially in the pregang flict and fighting, increasingly engaged stages of a group’s development, but he in illegal activities to support itself and also describes many cases where theft to continue to receive the satisfactions has a quite rational and instrumental of the &dquo;free&dquo; life of the streets. Con- nature, even at a fairly early age. flict, especially with other groups, trans- The theft activities and the disposi- forms the play group into the gang. Its tion of the loot make instrumental sense illegal activities become more serious, its in the context of Thrasher’s description values hardened, its structure more de- of the nature of the group or gang. termined by the necessity to maintain Much theft is essentially for the pur- eternal vigilance in a hostile environ- pose of maintaining the group in a state ment. of freedom from adult authority. If a By middle adolescence, the group is group of boys lives days or even weeks a gang, often with a name, usually away from home, then the theft of food identified with a particular ethnic or 2 One of the charms of Thrasher’s old-time racial and with an elabo- group, usually sociology is the fashion in which fact intrudes rate technology of theft and other means itself upon the theorizing. For example, he of self-support. Gradually, the gang may tells us that there were an estimated 1,700 to move in the direction of adult crime, 1,800 junk wagon men in Chicago, most of whom were suspected of being less than rigid armed robbery, perhaps, or other seri- in inquiring about the source of "junk." Ibid., ous crimes. p. 148. He also does some other things that Prior to that time, however, it is likely seem to have gone out of style, such as pre- to have engaged in much stealing from senting information on the age and ethnic stores, railroad cars, empty houses, par- composition of as many of the 1,313 gangs as possible. Ibid., pp. 73, 74, 191-193. ents, almost or drunks, anywhere money 3 Albert K. Cohen, Delinquent Boys: The goods are available. The ready access Culture of the Gang (Glencoe: The Free Press, to outlets for stolen goods is of major 1955), pp. 25, 26. 122 or of things which are sold to buy food Let us look a little more systemati- is hardly nonutilitarian. If such a group cally at the Thrasher formulations, how- steals from freight cars, peddles the ever, since such an examination can be merchandise to the neighbors for movie instructive in dealing with the more re- money, and so on, this can hardly be cent theories. The analysis proceeds at considered nonutilitarian. The behavior several levels, as I have mentioned. makes sense as instrumental behavior, of analysis however, only after one has a picture of Levels the general life led by the group.
Recommended publications
  • 1 Educational and Labor Market Outcomes of Ghanaian, Liberian
    Educational and labor market outcomes of Ghanaian, Liberian, Nigerian, and Sierra Leonean Americans, 2010–2017 Ernesto F. L. Amaral Texas A&M University, [email protected] Arthur Sakamoto Texas A&M University, [email protected] Courtney Nelson Sweet Briar College, [email protected] Sharron X. Wang Texas A&M University, [email protected] Abstract Research on immigrant African Americans is slowly increasing, but more studies are needed particularly in regard to specific ethnic groups and their second-generation offspring. We investigate socioeconomic outcomes among second-generation African Americans focusing on those from English-speaking countries in West Africa including Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone (GLNS). We use data from the 2010–2017 Current Population Surveys to impute ethnicity on the basis of country of parental birth. Results for generalized ordered logit models for men reveal that GLNS are more likely to have a bachelor’s degree than third-plus-generation whites, third-plus-generation blacks, second-generation whites, other-second-generation blacks, but not second-generation Asians. Among women, GLNS are more likely to have a bachelor’s degree than all of these groups. OLS estimates of regressions of wages show that net of education, age, marital status, and having children, GLNS men are not disadvantaged relative to third-plus-generation whites in contrast to the disadvantage of 7 percent for other-second- generation blacks and 18 percent for third-plus-generation blacks. In regard to women, neither GLNS nor other-second-generation blacks are disadvantaged relative to third-plus-generation whites in contrast to the disadvantage of 8 percent for third-plus-generation blacks.
    [Show full text]
  • Cultural Materialism and Behavior Analysis: an Introduction to Harris Brian D
    The Behavior Analyst 2007, 30, 37–47 No. 1 (Spring) Cultural Materialism and Behavior Analysis: An Introduction to Harris Brian D. Kangas University of Florida The year 2007 marks the 80th anniversary of the birth of Marvin Harris (1927–2001). Although relations between Harris’ cultural materialism and Skinner’s radical behaviorism have been promulgated by several in the behavior-analytic community (e.g., Glenn, 1988; Malagodi & Jackson, 1989; Vargas, 1985), Harris himself never published an exclusive and comprehensive work on the relations between the two epistemologies. However, on May 23rd, 1986, he gave an invited address on this topic at the 12th annual conference of the Association for Behavior Analysis in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, entitled Cultural Materialism and Behavior Analysis: Common Problems and Radical Solutions. What follows is the publication of a transcribed audio recording of the invited address that Harris gave to Sigrid Glenn shortly after the conference. The identity of the scribe is unknown, but it has been printed as it was written, with the addendum of embedded references where appropriate. It is offered both as what should prove to be a useful asset for the students of behavior who are interested in the studyofcultural contingencies, practices, and epistemologies, and in commemoration of this 80th anniversary. Key words: cultural materialism, radical behaviorism, behavior analysis Cultural Materialism and Behavior Analysis: Common Problems and Radical Solutions Marvin Harris University of Florida Cultural materialism is a research in rejection of mind as a cause of paradigm which shares many episte- individual human behavior, radical mological and theoretical principles behaviorism is not radically behav- with radical behaviorism.
    [Show full text]
  • Principles and Recommended Standards for Cultural Competence Education of Health Care Professionals
    A Partner for Healthier Communities Principles and Recommended Standards for Cultural Competence Education of Health Care Professionals www.calendow.org Principles and Recommended Standards for Cultural Competence Education of Health Care Professionals Prepared for The California Endowment Edited by M. Jean Gilbert, Ph.D. Principles and Recommended Standards for Cultural Competence Education of Health Care Professionals is a publication of The California Endowment. No part of this publication may be reproduced without attribution to The California Endowment. To be added to The California Endowment database and alerted to upcoming publications, please e-mail us at [email protected]. You may also call us at 800-449-4149, ext. 3513, or write to us at: The California Endowment 21650 Oxnard Street, Suite 1200 Woodland Hills, CA 91367 800.449.4149 Established by Blue Cross of California CM/Principles 02/03 A Table of Contents Preface i Acknowledgments iii Introduction v I. Guiding Principles and Recommended Standards for Cultural Competence Education and Training of Health Care Professionals 1 II. Recommended Standards for the Content of Cultural Competence Education 3 III. Recommended Standards for Training Methods and Modalities 7 IV. Standards for Evaluating Cultural Competence Learning 8 V. Standards Relating to the Qualifications of Cultural Competence Teachers and Trainers 9 VI. Appendices A. Appendix 1: Glossary of Terms 11 B. Appendix 2: Policy Statements and Standards 13 C. Appendix 3: Models for Culturally Competent Health Care 19 D. Appendix 4: Videos and CD-ROMs 34 E. Appendix 5: Web Sites 61 Principles and Recommended Standards for Cultural Competence Education of Health Care Professionals Preface Dear Colleague: The California Endowment is pleased to share our publication Principles and Recommended Standards for Cultural Competence Education of Health Care Professionals.
    [Show full text]
  • 2 the Cultural Economy of Fandom JOHN FISKE
    2 The Cultural Economy of Fandom JOHN FISKE Fandom is a common feature of popular culture in industrial societies. It selects from the repertoire of mass-produced and mass-distributed entertainment certain performers, narratives or genres and takes them into the culture of a self-selected fraction of the people. They are then reworked into an intensely pleasurable, intensely signifying popular culture that is both similar to, yet significantly different from, the culture of more ‘normal’ popular audiences. Fandom is typically associated with cultural forms that the dominant value system denigrates – pop music, romance novels, comics, Hollywood mass-appeal stars (sport, probably because of its appeal to masculinity, is an exception). It is thus associated with the cultural tastes of subordinated formations of the people, particularly with those disempowered by any combination of gender, age, class and race. All popular audiences engage in varying degrees of semiotic productivity, producing meanings and pleasures that pertain to their social situation out of the products of the culture industries. But fans often turn this semiotic productivity into some form of textual production that can circulate among – and thus help to define – the fan community. Fans create a fan culture with its own systems of production and distribution that forms what I shall call a ‘shadow cultural economy’ that lies outside that of the cultural industries yet shares features with them which more normal popular culture lacks. In this essay I wish to use and develop Bourdieu’s metaphor of 30 THE CULTURAL ECONOMY OF FANDOM describing culture as an economy in which people invest and accumulate capital.
    [Show full text]
  • Introduction Multicultural Education Means Different Things to Different
    Introduction Multicultural education means different things to different people. However, the differences are not as great, confusing, or contradictory as some critics and analysts claim. Many of these differences are more semantic than substantive, a reflection of the developmental level in the field and the disciplinary orientation of advocates. One should expect people who have been involved in a discipline or educational movement for a long time to understand and talk about it differently from those who are new to it. Similarly, educators who look at schooling from the vantage point of sociology, psychology, or economics will have differing views of the key concerns of schooling. Yet, these disparate analysts may agree on which issues are the most critical ones. Such differences over means coupled with widespread agreement on substance are naturally found in discussions of multicultural education. But this diversity should not be a problem, especially when we consider that multicultural education is all about plurality. The field includes educational scholars, researchers, and practitioners from a wide variety of personal, professional, philosophical, political, and pedagogical backgrounds. Therefore, we should expect that they will use different points of reference in discussing ethnic diversity and cultural pluralism. Yet, when allowances are made for these differences, a consensus on the substantive components of multicultural education quickly emerges. Such agreement is evident in areas such as the key content dimensions, value priorities, the justification for multicultural education, and its expected outcomes. Only when these fundamentals are articulated do variations emerge. Some advocates talk about expected outcomes, while others consider the major determining factor to be the group being studied; the arena of school action is the primary focus for one set of advocates, and still others are most concerned with distinctions between theory and practice.
    [Show full text]
  • Race-Class Interactions in Stereotyping
    Eastern Illinois University The Keep Masters Theses Student Theses & Publications 1998 Race-Class Interactions in Stereotyping Claudine Hoffman Truong Eastern Illinois University This research is a product of the graduate program in Psychology at Eastern Illinois University. Find out more about the program. Recommended Citation Truong, Claudine Hoffman, "Race-Class Interactions in Stereotyping" (1998). Masters Theses. 1766. https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/1766 This is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Theses & Publications at The Keep. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses by an authorized administrator of The Keep. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THESIS REPRODUCTION CERTIFICATE TO: Graduate Degree Candidates (who have written formal theses) SUBJECT: Permission to Reproduce Theses The University Library is receiving a number of request from other institutions asking permission to reproduce dissertations for inclusion in their library holdings. Although no copyright laws are involved, we feel that professional courtesy demands that permission be obtained from the author before we allow these to be copied . PLEASE SIGN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS: Booth Library of Eastern Illinois University has my permission to lend my thesis to a reputable college or university or the purpose of copying it for inclusion in that institution's library or research holdings. I / 2 1 /fa Date I respectfully request Booth Library of Eastern Illinois University NOT allow my thesis to be reproduced because: Author's Signature Date thesis4.f orm Race-class Interactions in Stereotyping (TITLE) BY Claudine Hoffman Truong J lf 7~ - THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF Master of Arts IN THE GRADUATE SCHOOL, EASTERN ILIJNOIS UNIVERSITY CHARLESTON.
    [Show full text]
  • Narratives of Interiority: Black Lives in the U.S. Capital, 1919 - 1942
    City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 5-2015 Narratives of Interiority: Black Lives in the U.S. Capital, 1919 - 1942 Paula C. Austin Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/843 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] NARRATIVES OF INTERIORITY: BLACK LIVES IN THE U.S. CAPITAL, 1919 – 1942 by PAULA C. AUSTIN A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in History in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, The City University of New York 2015 ©2015 Paula C. Austin All Rights Reserved ii This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in History in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. ________________ ____________________________ Date Herman L. Bennett, Chair of Examining Committee ________________ _____________________________ Date Helena Rosenblatt, Executive Office Gunja SenGupta Clarence Taylor Robert Reid Pharr Michele Mitchell Supervisory Committee THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii Abstract NARRATIVES OF INTERIORITY: BLACK LIVES IN THE U.S. CAPITAL, 1919 – 1942 by PAULA C. AUSTIN Advisor: Professor Herman L. Bennett This dissertation constructs a social and intellectual history of poor and working class African Americans in the interwar period in Washington, D.C. Although the advent of social history shifted scholarly emphasis onto the “ninety-nine percent,” many scholars have framed black history as the story of either the educated, uplifted and accomplished elite, or of a culturally depressed monolithic urban mass in need of the alleviation of structural obstacles to advancement.
    [Show full text]
  • ESJOA Spring 2011
    Volume 6 Issue 1 C.S.U.D.H. ELECTRONIC STUDENT JOURNAL OF ANTHROPOLOGY Spring 2011 V O L U M E 6 ( 1 ) : S P R I N G 2 0 1 1 California State University Dominguez Hills Electronic Student Journal of Anthropology Editor In Chief Review Staff Scott Bigney Celso Jaquez Jessica Williams Maggie Slater Alex Salazar 2004 CSU Dominguez Hills Anthropology Club 1000 E Victoria Street, Carson CA 90747 Phone 310.243.3514 • Email [email protected] I Table of Contents THEORY CORNER Essay: Functionalism in Anthropological Theory By: Julie Wennstrom pp. 1-6 Abstract: Franz Boas, “Methods of Ethnology” By: Maggie Slater pp. 7 Abstract: Marvin Harris “Anthropology and the Theoretical and Paradigmatic Significance of the Collapse of Soviet and East European Communism By: Samantha Glover pp. 8 Abstract: Eleanor Burke Leacock “Women’s Status In Egalitarian Society: Implications For Social Evolution” By: Jessica Williams pp. 9 STUDENT RESEARCH Chinchorro Culture By: Kassie Sugimoto pp. 10-22 Reconstructing Ritual Change at Preceramic Asana By: Dylan Myers pp. 23-33 The Kogi (Kaggaba) of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Kotosh Religious Tradition: Ethnographic Analysis of Religious Specialists and Religious Architecture of a Contemporary Indigenous Culture and Comparison to Three Preceramic Central Andean Highland Sites By: Celso Jaquez pp. 34-59 The Early Formative in Ecuador: The Curious Site of Real Alto By: Ana Cuellar pp. 60-70 II Ecstatic Shamanism or Canonist Religious Ideology? By: Samantha Glover pp. 71-83 Wari Plazas: An analysis of Proxemics and the Role of Public Ceremony By: Audrey Dollar pp.
    [Show full text]
  • Philosophy Emerging from Culture
    Cultural Heritage and Contemporary Change Series I. Culture and Values, Volume 42 General Editor: George F. McLean Associate General Editor: William Sweet Philosophy Emerging from Culture Edited by William Sweet George F. McLean Oliva Blanchette Wonbin Park The Council for Research in Values and Philosophy Copyright © 2013 by The Council for Research in Values and Philosophy Box 261 Cardinal Station Washington, D.C. 20064 All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Philosophy emerging from culture / edited by William Sweet, George F. McLean, Oliva Blanchette. -- 1st [edition]. pages cm. -- (Cultural heritage and contemporary change. Series I, Culture and values ; Volume 42) 1. Philosophy and civilization. 2. Philosophy. 3. Culture. I. Sweet, William, editor of compilation. B59.P57 2013 2013015164 100--dc23 CIP ISBN 978-1-56518-285-1 (pbk.) TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction: Philosophy Emerging From Culture 1 William Sweet and George F. McLean Part I: The Dynamics of Change Chapter I. What Remains of Modernity? Philosophy and 25 Culture in the Transition to a Global Era William Sweet Chapter II. Principles of Western Bioethics and 43 the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Africa Workineh Kelbessa Chapter III. Rationality in Islamic Peripatetic and 71 Enlightenment Philosophies Sayyed Hassan Houssaini Chapter IV. Theanthropy and Culture According to Karol Wojtyla 87 Andrew N. Woznicki Chapter V. Al-Fārābī’s Approach to Aristotle’s Eudaimonia 99 Mostafa Younesie Part II: The Nature of Culture and its Potential as a Philosophical Source Chapter VI. A Realistic Interpretation of Culture 121 Jeu-Jenq Yuann Chapter VII. Rehabilitating Value: Questions of 145 Meaning and Adequacy Karim Crow Chapter VIII.
    [Show full text]
  • Cultural and Linguistic Capital, Standardized Tests and the Perpetuation of Educational Inequities
    Running head: CAPITAL AND STANDARDIZED TESTS 1 CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC CAPITAL, STANDARDIZED TESTS AND THE PERPETUATION OF EDUCATIONAL INEQUITIES By Jessica Ayre A GRADUATING PAPER SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF EDUCATION IN THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES (Educational Administration and Leadership) Dr. Wendy Poole Supervisor Dr. Gerald Fallon Second Reader THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA February, 2012 CAPITAL AND STANDARDIZED TESTS 2 Abstract Students who possess the socioeconomic, cultural and linguistic capital of the dominant class come to school with a “head start” and stand to benefit most from standardized tests. In my conceptual study examining the relationship between socioeconomic, cultural and linguistic capital, and educational attainment, I employ a critical review of the pertinent literature beginning with Bourdieu and Passeron’s seminal work. Although researchers have been operationalizing Bourdieu’s cultural capital theory for over thirty years, it is clear that there has been little agreement as to how cultural capital should be measured, or even if it can be measured. I argue that much of the empirical research critiquing the impact of Bourdieu’s notion of cultural and linguistic capital on educational attainment has been operationalized from a positivist perspective and based on narrow conceptions of Bourdieu’s theory, and consequently, has provided inconclusive and often contradictory results. Utilizing a definition of cultural capital more closely aligned with that intended by Bourdieu, I examine the connection between socioeconomic, cultural and linguistic capital, and standardized tests, and explore how educational inequities are perpetuated through the use of standardized forms of assessment, discussing the implications of my findings for educational practice throughout.
    [Show full text]
  • JENSEN-THESIS-2018.Pdf (2.291Mb)
    CONSUMPTION PATTERNS AND GROCERY PURCHASE DECISIONS AMONG MIDDLE AND WORKING CLASS FAMILIES IN SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA _____________ A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the Department of Sociology Sam Houston State University _____________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts _____________ by Kimberly Curry Jensen December, 2018 CONSUMPTION PATTERNS AND GROCERY PURCHASE DECISIONS AMONG MIDDLE AND WORKING CLASS FAMILIES IN SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA by Kimberly Curry Jensen ______________ APPROVED: Karen Douglas, PhD Thesis Director Emily Cabaniss, PhD Committee Member Maki Hatanaka, PhD Committee Member Abbey Zink, PhD Dean, College of Humanities and Social Sciences DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Bernadette Palombo, my dear friend and mentor, who is missed beyond words. “A good teacher is like a candle, it consumes itself to light the way to others.” - Mustafa Kemal Ataurk iii ABSTRACT Jensen, Kimberly Curry, Consumption patterns and grocery purchase decisions among middle and working class families in Shreveport, Louisiana. Master of Arts (Sociology), December, 2018, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas. Extensive academic literature supports the finding that one’s socioeconomic status has significant influence on the food consumption patterns of individuals and families. Further, the link between diet and disease has been well established. However, not all states are equal when it comes to health and diet. The southern states, and more specifically individuals who consume a southern diet high in saturated fat, sugar, and salt, have much higher incidences of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other dietary influenced health conditions. To better understand the decisions people make at the grocery store, this thesis explores the grocery shopping decisions for low and middle income residents in four different neighborhoods in Shreveport, Louisiana.
    [Show full text]
  • The Straightedge Subculture on the Internet: a Case Study
    University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 8-2003 The Straightedge Subculture on the Internet: A Case Study James Patrick Williams University of Tennessee - Knoxville Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss Part of the Sociology Commons Recommended Citation Williams, James Patrick, "The Straightedge Subculture on the Internet: A Case Study. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 2003. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/2358 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by James Patrick Williams entitled "The Straightedge Subculture on the Internet: A Case Study." I have examined the final electronic copy of this dissertation for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in Sociology. , Major Professor We have read this dissertation and recommend its acceptance: Thomas C. Hood, Suzanne B. Kurth, Sherry Cable, Handel Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R. Hodges Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (Original signatures are on file with official studentecor r ds.) To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by J. Patrick Williams entitled “The Straightedge Subculture on the Internet: A Case Study.” I have examined the final electronic copy of this dissertation for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in Sociology.
    [Show full text]