MADreads

Rogue sociologist or gang leader?

May 5th, 2009 Mary K. - Central

Sudhir Venkatesh calls himself a rogue sociologist, and it is clear from the opening pages of Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets, that he is no ordinary academic.  As a graduate student at the University of Chicago, Venkatesh chose to do his research in the places where the urban poor live.  He learned a lot as he went along and often found that traditional research methods did not work.  He tried giving a survey during his first foray into the housing projects, and it was a total failure.  Venkatesh focuses on both gang life and the everyday life of the residents of the project.

Sudhir (or Mr. Professor as he was nicknamed) visited the Robert Taylor housing project in Chicago over a period of 6 years.  Early on he established a relationship with J.T., a drug dealing gang leader.  J.T. became his protector and his entree into the world of the projects and that of J.T.’s associates. Sudhir eats meals with the residents, attends meetings, and hangs out with them drinking beer.  He is present for many everyday events and some frightening ones such as a drive-by shooting.  

Venkatesh spent many hours with J.T.  The gang, called the Black Kings, has elaborate structures and rules, and a hierachy that allows J.T. to advance.  Sudhir told J.T. that his job looked easy so J.T. decided to prove him wrong by making him an honorary gang leader for a day.  Sudhir quickly learns about the discipline and work needed to keep an organization like the Black Kings running smoothly and that a leader must be willing and able to use physical violence to keep the peace.  The gang also controlled the project and contributed to the well being of tenants in many ways, not the least of which was to act as the police might, since the Chicago Police Department would not respond to calls from Robert Taylor.

The City of Chicago demolished the housing project in the late 90’s and the residents of Robert Taylor had to relocate.  Closing the projects did not end the poverty and drug dealing and abuse, and probably did not improve living conditions for the former project tenants.

Read or listen to this book (also a good audiobook available on cd or through Overdrive) for an in-depth look at poverty and the lives of the poor.  This is a first hand and fascinating look into a world that is very unfamiliar to most Americans.

Entry Filed under: Nonfiction