Are Changing Masculinities Important for Gang Disengagement?

Weltman, Elizabeth

Graduate Thesis Or Dissertation

Are Changing Masculinities Important for Gang Disengagement? Public Deposited

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Citations

Citeable URL: https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/ms35tb35h

Abstract

Within the last decade, a small but growing field of qualitative research has suggested that masculinity changes are helpful for gang disengagement. There are several gaps in this literature: the contribution of masculinities to disengagement has not yet been tested in quantitative research; few studies have provided qualitative narratives demonstrating that masculinity change could theoretically precipitate disengagement; and the types of masculinities reforming gang members transition towards are unclear. The types of masculinity discussed in this study include: traditional masculinity (breadwinning/employment, avoidance of femininity, self-reliance, stoicism, and homophobia); positive masculinity (good family relationships, kindness, community service, and spirituality); and violence-oriented masculinity (toughness, retaliation, and use of violence to gain respect). A mixed-methods study was used to address these gaps, with a quantitative sample of 70 individuals referred to a gang disengagement program in Denver, surveyed across two waves, and a qualitative sample of 10 individuals interviewed in-depth. Quantitative analyses measured associations between changes in endorsement of masculinities and gang embeddedness over time. Gang embeddedness change was significantly and positively associated with violence-oriented masculinity change and traditional masculinity change (especially breadwinning and avoidance of femininity) in both directions; however, effect sizes were highest when masculinities change were the dependent variables, shedding light on the temporal order. Quantitative results suggested endorsement of traditional and violence-oriented masculinity decreases during gang disengagement. Qualitative findings showed that disengagement narratives of most participants portrayed masculinity change as a precipitating factor in disengagement, with most newly endorsing aspects of positive and traditional masculinity and reducing endorsement of violence-oriented masculinity. Masculinity maturation emerged as a theme, as participants realized the gang lifestyle was incompatible with adult masculinity, serving as a motivation for disengagement. Constructions of masculinity while actively in the gang were similar to the street code (Anderson 1999) and also incorporated aspects of traditional masculinity. Consistency and divergence between quantitative and qualitative findings are discussed. In terms of policy, the findings suggest masculine role models promoting certain types of masculinity could be an effective gang intervention strategy for older adolescents and adults. Future research is needed to better understand the relationship between masculinity change and gang disengagement.

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