Gang‐related violence among young people of the Tamil refugee diaspora in London

Abstract

The Tamil people, having been stripped of their social and political rights as Sri‐Lankan citizens, have little or no wealth, a lack of educational and employment opportunities, but unrestricted access to the culture of violence, which has developed during the course of the ethno‐political civil war. Upon fleeing this persecution, Tamil asylum seekers arrive in the UK with hopes of a better life. However, many are dispersed into inner‐city areas characterised by high crime rates and a concentration of social disadvantage. With few opportunities for upward social mobility, some young Tamils create an internecine subculture on the streets of London, designed to achieve respect and status by using violence as a social currency.