'The community will kill you': policing and vigilantism in Zandspruit

Martin, James Robert

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‘The community will kill you’: policing and vigilantism in Zandspruit

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Martin, James Robert. Monash University. Faculty of Arts. PSI/Criminology; 2012. ‘The community will kill you’: policing and vigilantism in Zandspruit.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://arrow.monash.edu.au/hdl/1959.1/573507

Title: ‘The community will kill you’: policing and vigilantism in Zandspruit
Creator: Martin, James Robert
Contributor: Principal Supervisor: Jude McCulloch
Contributor: Supervisor: Dean Wilson
Subject: South Africa
Subject: Vigilantism
Subject: Policing
Subject: Informal policing
Date: 2012
Publisher: Monash University. Faculty of Arts. PSI/Criminology
Description: Vigilantism is a practice that is encountered relatively infrequently in the affluent states of the Global North. However, in many other regions that are inadequately serviced by state security, vigilantism is perceived by many locals as offering the only meaningful response to crime and social deviance. The Zandspruit Informal Settlement, located on the northern outskirts of Johannesburg, is one such area. Amidst an appallingly high rate of violent crime, the residents of this densely populated shantytown regularly witness and indeed participate in vigilante attacks. Despite its persistence, local attitudes towards vigilantism are complex and range from outright opposition and horror to grim acceptance and sanguinary enthusiasm. By analysing semi-structured interview data taken from 43 residents and workers in the Zandspruit area, this thesis seeks to explore and articulate the various local perspectives of this normalised but highly destructive social phenomena.

collection(s): Doctorate theses
collection(s): Monash University Theses
Identifier: http://arrow.monash.edu.au/hdl/1959.1/573507
Identifier: ethesis-20120620-093434
Identifier: monash:85453
Language: eng
Rights: Open access: open access to thesis full text.
Rights: This thesis is protected by copyright. Copyright in the thesis remains with the author. The Monash University ARROW Repository has a non-exclusive licence to publish and communicate this thesis online.
Type: thesis
Type: thesis(doctorate)

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‘The community will kill you’: policing and vigilantism in Zandspruit

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