8/13/2019 Thomas J. Scheff -- Academic Gangs http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/thomas-j-scheff-academic-gangs 1/6 Crime, Law Social Change 23: 157-162, 1995. 157 9 1995 KluwerAcademic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands. cademic gangs THOMAS J. SCHEFF Criminologists have proposed that patterns of behavior in youthful gangs can be understood in terms of what they call "the code of the streets", as in Anderson (1994). The code is a set of understandings between gang members which help them meet both their material and emotional needs. In this essay I describe the codes of academe, the understandings between professors in gang-like groups that function to fulfill their needs. Most academics belong to one or another group called "a school of thought" or a specialty. For example, a large group of academic psychologists consider themselves to be behaviorists. These academics are loyal to the strict code of behaviorism which bands them together in thought, feeling and behavior. In addition to membership in a specialty, all academics are also members of a super-gang or clan, the discipline. The clan of the behaviorist gang is the discipline of psychology. Disciplines are the most powerful units in the university, which is in most ways not a federal system, but a confederation of sovereign disciplines. Although there are academics who belong to no gang, all belong to a clan. Training in all cases and workplace in most takes place in a department, which is always an outpost of a particular discipline. Since the code of academe is generated by the conditions of modem uni- versity life, I believe that it applies equally to all disciplines, the hard, soft, and non-sciences. Even though the physical and biological sciences are rich beyond the wildest dreams of the social sciences and the humanities, their codes and practices are remarkable similar. Somehow in the similarities of departmental existence, and in the interminable committee work that haunts the days and dreams of every professor, the torch of gang and clanship has been passed to most academics, whatever their persuasion. Just as members of street gangs earn most of their livelihood from theft, academics gain most of theirs from careers. Being a member in good standing of a gang and a supergang is crucially important for advancement of one's career. There is little chance of advancement in the academy without hard work, but flaunting membership in gang and clan can certainly supplement or even substitute for talent and intelligence. Clearly and repeatedly showing
C r i m e , L a w S o c i a l C h a n g e 23: 157-162, 1995. 15 79 1995K l u w e r A c a d e m i c P u b l is h e r s . P r i n t e d in t he N e t h e rl a n d s.
c a d e m i c g a n g s
THOM AS J. SCHEFF
C r i m i n o l o g i s t s h a v e p r o p o s e d t h at p a t t e rn s o f b e h a v i o r i n y o u t h f u l g a n g sc a n b e u n d e r s t o o d i n t e r m s o f w h a t t h e y c a ll " t h e c o d e o f t h e s t re e t s" , a s i n
A n d e r s o n ( 1 9 9 4 ). T h e c o d e is a s e t o f u n d e r s t a n d in g s b e t w e e n g a n g m e m b e r s
w h i c h h e l p t h e m m e e t b o t h t h e i r m a t e ri a l a nd e m o t i o n a l n e e d s . I n t h is e s s a y
I d e sc r i b e t h e c o d e s o f a c a d e m e , t h e u n d e r s t a n d i n g s b e t w e e n p r o f e s so r s in
gan g- l ike g rou ps tha t fu nc t io n to fu l f il l t he i r needs .
M o s t a c a d e m i c s b e l o n g t o o n e o r a n o t h e r g r o u p c a ll e d " a s c h o o l o f th o u g h t "
o r a sp e c i a lt y . F o r e x a m p l e , a l a rg e g r o u p o f a c a d e m i c p sy c h o l o g i s t s c o n s i d e r
t h e m se l v e s t o b e b e h a v i o r is t s . Th e se a c a d e m i c s a r e l o y a l t o t h e s t ri c t c o d e
o f b e h a v i o r i s m w h i c h b a n d s t h e m t o g e t h e r i n t h o u g h t , fe e l in g a n d b e h av io r.I n a d d i t i o n t o m e m b e r s h i p in a sp e c ia l ty , al l a c a d e m i c s a re a l so m e m b e r s
o f a su p e r - g a n g o r c l a n , t h e d i s c i p l in e . Th e c l a n o f t h e b e h a v i o r i s t g a n g i s
t h e d i s c i p l i n e o f p sy c h o l o g y . D i sc i p l i n e s a re t h e m o s t p o w e r f u l u n i t s in t h e
u n i v e rs i ty , w h i c h i s i n m o s t w a y s n o t a f e d e ra l sy s t e m , b u t a c o n f e d e r a t i o n o f
so v e r e i g n d i s c ip l i n e s . A l t h o u g h t h e re a r e a c a d e m i c s w h o b e l o n g t o n o g a n g ,
a l l b e l o n g t o a c l a n . T r a i n i n g i n a l l c a se s a n d w o r k p l a c e i n m o s t ta k e s p l a c e
i n a d e p a r t m e n t , w h i c h i s a l w a y s a n o u t p o s t o f a p a r ti c u l a r d i s c ip l i n e .
S i n c e t h e c o d e o f a c a d e m e i s g e n e ra t e d b y t h e c o n d i t io n s o f m o d e m u n i -ve r s i ty l i fe , I be l i eve tha t i t app l i e s equa l ly to a l l d i sc ip l ines , the ha rd , so f t ,
a n d n o n - sc i e n c e s . Ev e n t h o u g h t h e p h y s i c a l a n d b i o l o g i c a l s c i e n c e s a re r i c h
b e y o n d t h e w i l d e s t d r e a m s o f t h e so c i a l s c i e n c e s a n d t h e h u m a n i t i e s , t h e i r
c o d e s a n d p r a c t i c e s a r e r e m a r k a b l e s i m il ar . S o m e h o w i n t h e s i m i l a ri ti e s o f
d e p a r t m e n t a l e x i s te n c e , a n d i n t h e i n t e r m i n a b l e c o m m i t t e e w o r k t h a t h a u n t s
t h e d a y s a n d d r e a m s o f e v e r y p ro f e s so r , t h e t o r c h o f g a n g a n d c l a n sh i p h a s
b e e n p a s se d t o m o s t a c a d e m i c s , w h a t e v e r t h e i r p e r su a s i o n .
Ju s t a s m e m b e r s o f s t re e t g a n g s e a r n m o s t o f th e i r li v e l i h o o d f r o m t h e f t,
a c a d e m i c s g a i n m o s t o f th e ir s f r o m c a r ee rs . B e i n g a m e m b e r i n g o o d s t a n d in g
o f a g a n g a n d a su p e r g a n g is c r u c i a ll y i m p o r t a n t f o r a d v a n c e m e n t o f o n e ' s
c a re e r. T h e r e i s l it tl e c h a n c e o f a d v a n c e m e n t i n th e a c a d e m y w i t h o u t h a r d
w o r k , b u t f l a u n ti n g m e m b e r s h i p i n g a n g a n d c l a n c a n c e r ta i n ly s u p p l e m e n t
o r e v e n su b s t i t u te f o r t a le n t a n d i n t e ll i g e n c e . C l e a r ly a n d r e p e a t e d l y sh o w i n g
o n e s l o y a l t y to t h e s e g r o u p s c a n b e m o s t h e l p f u l i n o b t a i n i n g r e s e a r c h g ra n t s
a n d a c c e p t a n c e o f p u b l i c a ti o n s , t w i n l i f e b l o o d s o f th e a c a d e m i c c a re e r. T u r n -
i n g o u t P h . D s w h o a r e f l a g r a n tl y l o y a l t o o n e s g a n g a n d c l a n b r i n g s r e s p e c t,b u t i s n o t m a n d a t o r y .
T h e r e l a ti o n s h i p b e t w e e n g a n g m e m b e r s h i p a n d c a r e e r i s o b v i o u s e n o u g h
f o r m o s t a c a d e m i c s . T h e r e a r e r ar e e x c e p t io n s i n w h i c h c a r e e r a d v a n c e m e n t
i s p r o d u c e d e n t i r e l y b y t h e o r i g in a l i ty o r i m p o r t a n c e o f o n e s p u b l i c a ti o n s. O f
c o u r s e t a l e n t a s a t e a c h e r is u n r e l a t e d , o r e v e n n e g a t i v e l y r e l a t e d t o a d v a n c e -
m e n t . B u t i n t h e t y p i c a l in s ta n c e , o n e s w r i ti n g is j u d g e d b y a j u r y o f o n e s
p e e r s w h o a r e u n a b l e o r u n w i l l i n g to r e c o g n i z e o r i g i n a li t y a n d i m p o r t a n c e ,
e s p e c i a l l y i f i t is e x p r e s s e d i n a f o r m t h a t is m o r e c o m p l e x o r d i f fi c u l t t h a n
t h e i r o w n w o r k . T h e y a r e ta k i n g v a l u a b l e t im e o u t o f t h e i r b u s y l i v es t o s e r v e
o n t h e j u r y , a n d a r e n o t l i a b l e t o s p e n d u n d u e t i m e w i t h d i f f i c u lt c a s e s .
I n t h e t y p i c a l c a s e , t h e r e f o r e , g a n g o r c la n m e m b e r s h i p g iv e s r is e t o a s h o r t
c i r c u i t a r o u n d t h e l a b o r io u s m e t h o d o f j u d g i n g e a c h c a s e o n i t s m e r it . F o r
a d v a n c e m e n t a n d t h o s e g r a n ts , f e l lo w s h i p s a n d o t h e r f i n a n ci a ll y r e w a r d i n g
p r o j e c t s w h i c h r e q u i r e t e s t im o n i a l s , o n e d e v e l o p s a r e l i a b l e s tr i n g o f f e l lo w
g a n g m e m b e r s w h o w i l l g i ve o n e s s e l f a n d o n e s p r o j e c t t h e i r w h o l e h e a r t e d
e n d o r s e m e n t . T h e s e e n d o r s e m e n t s m a y d e p e n d i n p a r t o n t h e m e r i t o f t h e
c a s e, b u t t h e m o s t p o w e r f u l d e t e r m i n a n t is m o s t o f t e n a s e n s e o f l o y a l t y to af e ll o w g a n g m e m b e r .
G a n g l a n d e n d o r s e m e n t s m a y s o m e t i m e s b e g i v e n o u t o f a s e n s e o f s e l f -
g a i n; i n p r o m o t i n g a f e l l o w g a n g m e m b e r , o n e i s a l so h e l p i n g o n e s o w n
c a u s e , a d a i s y c h a i n . M o r e u s u a l l y , t h e e n d o r s e r s i n c e r e l y b e l i e v e s t h a t t h e
c a n d i d a t e h a s t h e s t el la r qu a l it ie s e n d o w e d i n t h e l e t t e r o f r e c o m m e n d a t i o n ;
h i s o r h e r j u d g m e n t is m o r e o r l e ss o b l i t e ra t e d b y a f i e rc e s e n s e o f l o y a l t y t o
t h e c o d e o f t h e g a n g .
M a n y g r a n t a p p li c a ti o n s a re j u d g e d b y a n a n o n y m o u s j u r y o f p e e rs , w h ow i l l n o t r e c o g n i z e t h e i d e n ti ty o f t h e c a nd i d a te . B u t g a n g a n d c l a n m e m b e r s h i p
p l a y s a r o l e h e r e a l s o . T h e a r t f u l c a n d i d a t e f o r a g r a n t d e s i g n s t h e p r o p o s a l i n
a w a y t h a t u n m i s t a k a b l y s i g n a l s l o y a l t y t o a p a r t i c u l a r g a n g o r c la n . I f y o u a r e
a m e m b e r o f t h e p s y c h o a n a l y t i c g a n g , y o u r p ro p o s a l c it e s F r e u d f r e q u e n t l y
a n d f u l s o m e l y . T h i s t a c t ic i s r is k - f r e e i f y o u k n o w t h a t t h e j u r y w i l l b e a l l
f e l l o w g a n g - m e m b e r s . B u t e v e n i f n o t t h e c as e , y o u c a n h o p e t h a t m o s t o f
y o u r p e e r s w i l l y i e l d to t h e j u d g e m e n t s o f y o u r f e l lo w g a n g o r c l a n m e m b e r s
w h o h a p p e n t o b e o n t h e ju r y , a s f r e q u e n t l y h a p p e n s .
T h e l o y a lt y o f a c a d e m i c g a n g m e m b e r s t o e a c h o t h e r a n d t o t h e c o d e o f t h eg a n g i s e a s i l y a s f i e rc e a s t h a t o f s t r e e t g a n g s . I t is f o r t u n a t e th a t a c a d e m i c
g a n g s u s e w o r d s a n d n o t b u l le t s, o r t h e h o m i c i d e r a te w o u l d b e a t le a s t a s
A l t h o u g h t h e w a y i n w h i c h g a n g m e m b e r s h i p i n t h e a c a d e m y f u n c t i o n s
fo r m a t e r i a l g a i n i s s t r a i g h tfo rw a rd , t h e w a y i t b r i n g s e m o t i o n a l r e w a rd s i s
l e s s c le a r l y u n d e r s t o o d . In w h a t w a y d o e s g a n g l a n d r e l ia b l y p ro d u c e fe e l i n g so f w e l l -b e i n g ? To u n d e r s t a n d t h i s p o i n t , i t i s n e c e s sa ry t o r e a l i z e t h a t w e
l ive in a c iv i l i za t ion in w hich i t i s d i f fi cu l t t o ob ta in s ecure and rew ard ing
re l a t io n sh i p s t o o t h e r s , e v e n u n d e r t h e b e s t o f c o n d i t i o n s . Th e c o n t i n u i n g
c l i m b o f t h e d i v o rc e r a te i s o n e s e n s i ti v e in d i c a t i o n o f t h i s f a ct .
I n m o s t o f i t s a sp e c t s , th e p ro fe s so r s j o b i s a n e x c e e d i n g l y l o n e l y o n e .
Th e b u l k o f h i s o r h e r t i m e is sp e n t a lo n e , c o n d u c t i n g r e se a rc h o r w r i t in g .
C o n t a c t w i t h s t u d e n t s a n d c o l l e a g u e s t a k e s u p o n l y a sm a l l p o r t i o n o f t h e
d a i l y ro u n d , a n d i s u su a l l y l i m i t e d t o t h e b u s i n e s s a t h a n d . M e e t i n g g ra d u a t es t u d e n t s , w h o g e t m o re f r e q u e n t a n d p e r so n a l a t t e n ti o n t h a n o t h e r s t u d e n t s ,
i s a l so m o s t l y b u s i n e s s . A l t h o u g h it so m e t i m e s o c c u r s i n iso l a t e d p o c k e t s
o f f r i en dsh ip , t he re i s l i t tl e camara der i e in l abora to r i e s , l i b ra ri e s an d o f f i ces.
W i t h o u t th e f e l l o w s h i p o f g a n g a n d c la n , m o s t p r o f e ss o r s w o u l d b e e n t i re l y
a l i ena ted in the i r w ork l i fe .
P ro fe s so r i a l w o rk i s i so la t i n g f ro m fe l l o w sh i p i n a w a y t h a t m a y b e q u i t e
u n i q u e . T h e p ro fe s so r s b a s i c t a sk i s to d i s c o v e r n e w a n d o f t e n h i g h l y sp ec i a l-
i z e d k n o w l e d g e . A c q u i r i n g s u c h k n o w l e d g e is n o t o n l y i m p o r t a n t f o r c a re e rs ,
b u t i n m o s t c a se s, b e c o m e s t h e c e n t r a l fo c u s o f th e p ro fe s so r s w o rk l i fe , a n dn o t i n f r e qu e n t ly , h i s o r h e r w h o l e l if e. O n e s w o r k b e c o m e s t h e k e y e l e m e n t
i n o n e s i d e n t i ty . A c q u i r i n g e so t e ri c k n o w l e d g e is p ro fo u n d l y a n d p e rh a p s
u n a v o i d a b l y i so l a t in g , s i n c e t h e re i s s e l d o m a n y o n e t o sh a re i t w i t h . Th e
m o r e s u c c e s s f u l t h e s e ar c h, t h e m o r e b u r d e n e d o n e is w i th k n o w l e d g e t h at
d i s c o n n e c t s o n e f ro m o t h e rs , v i r t u a l ly a ll o t h e rs . O n e s p u b l i c a t io n s , li k e t h e
s t ra n d s o f W a l t W h i t m a n s n o i s e l e s s p a t ie n t sp id e r , so m e t i m e s fi n d a n c h o r s ,
b u t t h e y a r e f e w a n d o f t e n f a r a w ay .
T h e e m o t i o n a l f u n c t i o n o f th e g a n g a n d c l an i s to r e m o v e t h e c r u s h in gb u rd e n o f i so l a t io n c r e a t e d b y e so t e r ic k n o w l e d g e . Esp e c i a l ly i n t h e so c i a l
s c ie n c e s a n d h u m a n i t ie s , t h e re i s s e l d o m a c le a r s e n s e o f r e al w o r d p r o b l e m s
t h a t c a n s e rv e a s a c e n t e r o f c o m m u n a l i n te r e s t. I n e s s e n c e , a c a d e m i c g a n g s
a n d c l a n s c r e a t e a n a r ti fi c ia l b u t h i g h l y i n v o l v i n g ro u n d o f p ro b l e m s a n d
p r a c ti c e s th a t p r o v i d e a s e n s e o f u n i ty a m o n g m e m b e r s . M e m b e r s c a n h a r d l y
c o m m u n i c a t e w i t h e a c h o t h e r a b o u t t h e i r i n d iv i d u a l , sp e c i a li z e d in t e re s t s, b u t
t h e y c a n w o r k t o g e t h e r in h a r m o n y w i th t h e p r o b l e m s a n d d i v e r si o n s o f t h e ir
g a n g a n d c la n . T h e s e p r o b l e m s a n d d i v e r si o n s c r e at e a c o m m u n i t y ; w i t h o u t
t h e m , s t a rk d i v i s i o n a n d s e p a ra t i o n .G i v e n t h e e m o t i o n a l a n d m a te r ia l n e e d s o f p r o fe s s o rs , m u c h o f w h a t g o e s o n
i n t e a c h i n g a n d r e se a rc h b e c o m e s a r i tu a l w h o se m a i n fo c u s is o n m a i n t a i n i n g
g a n g a n d c l a n i d e n t i t y . G i v e n t h i s m e sm e r i z i n g fo c u s , g a n g a n d d i s c i p l i n e
ra t h e r t h a n r e a l w o r l d i s su e s t a k e p r i d e o f p la c e . Th i s i d e a e x p l a i n s m o s t o f
t h e m o r e o b v i o u s s c a n d a ls i n t h e a c a d e m y , an d s o m e t h at a r e n o t s o o b v i o u s .
I t c o m p l e t e l y e x p l a in s t h e s h o c k i n g d is t a n c e th a t m o s t p ro fe s so r s m a i n t a i n
f ro m t h e i r s t u d e n t s , e sp e c i a l ly u n d e rg ra d u a t e s . Th e c e n t e r o f t h e l e c t u re r si n t e re s t i s i n p ro b l e m s o f h i s o r h e r sp e c i a lt y a n d c l a n, w h i c h m e a n n o t h i n g
t o u n d e rg ra d u a t e s .
O n e e x a m p l e o f t h e i n te l le c tu a l d o m i n a n c e o f th e c l a n i s p r o v i d e d b y t h e
w a y i n w h i c h m a t h e m a t i ca l m o d e l s h a ve b e c o m e t h e c en tr a l fo c u s o f m o d e m
e c o n o m i c s , e v e n t h o u g h t h e y h a v e p ro v e n t o b e u se l e s s i n d e a l i n g w i t h r e al
w o r l d p r o b l e m s . T h e a b s e n c e o f e m p i r ic a l ly v e ri fi ed e c o n o m i c k n o w l e d g e
h a s b e e n r e c e n t l y a t t e s t e d b y t h e sh o c k i n g l y b a d a d v i c e e c o n o m i s t s g a v e t o
R u s s i a a n d t h e o t h e r c o u n tr i e s f o r m e d f r o m w h a t w a s f o r m e r ly t h e U S S R a n d
its satel l i tes.
A n o t h e r e x a m p l e i s t h e c o n t i n u e d p r e o c c u p a t io n o f a c a d e m i c p s y c h o l o g i s t s
w i t h l a b o ra t o ry e x p e r i m e n t s u s i n g a c a p t i v e a u d i e n c e o f u n d e rg ra d u a t e s a s
s u b je c ts . A l t h o u g h i t h a s l o n g b e e n c l e ar t h a t t h e k i n d o f k n o w l e d g e g e n e r at e d
b y su c h s t u d i e s is u se l e s s fo r e d u c a t o r s a n d c l in i c i a n s o r a n y b o d y e ls e , th e re
i s n o s i g n o f a b a t e m e n t .
A f in a l e x a m p l e i s th e c u r r e n t f a d o f p o s t m o d e m i s m , w h i c h h a s s w e p t o v e r
t h e h u m a n i t i e s l ik e a p l a g u e . I ts o r i g i n a to r s , a u th o r s l i k e D e r r id a , d e m o n -
s t r at e d t h a t i f y o u r e m o v e a v e rb a l s t a t e m e n t f ro m i t s c o n t e x t, i ts m e a n i n gb e c o m e s s o a m b i g u o u s a s t o b e u n d e c i d a b l e . T h i s p r o p o s i t i o n is t r e e a n d
e v e n i m p o r t a n t , so l o n g a s t h e c l a u se a b o u t c o n t e x t i s k e p t in m i n d . I t r e m i n d s
u s t h a t v e rb a l e x p re s s i o n s i n a l l o rd i n a ry l a n g u a g e s a r e m u l t i -v a l u e d a n d
t h e re fo re c o m p l e t e l y c o n t e x t d e p e n d e n t : o n l y a r t if ic ia l l a n g u a g e s l ik e a l g e -
b r a a n d c o m p u t e r p r o g r a m s a r e w i t h o u t a m b i g u i t y a n d t h e r e fo r e c o n t e x tu a l ly
invariant .
Th e p o s t m o d e m i s t s , h o w e v e r , h a v e i g n o re d t h e q u a l i fy i n g c l a u se, g e n e ra t -
i n g a t i d a l w a v e o f r e s e arc h w h i c h a s su m e s t h a t c o m p l e x v e rb a l s t a te m e n t sa re u n d e c i d a b l e , w h i c h is a b su rd . A l t h o u g h th e re a r e f r e q u e n t m i su n d e r s t a n d -
i n g s i n o rd i n a ry l a n g u a g e d i s c o u r se b e c a u se o f t h e a m b i g u i t y o f i ts v e rb a l
p a r ts , i t i s a l so o f t e n u n d e r s t o o d , e v e n i f t h e fo rm o f d i s c o u r se i s c o m p l e x ,
a s i n a p h o r i sm s , al le g o r i es , a n d j o k e s . C a p a b l e u se r s o f l a n g u a g e r e m o v e
a m b i g u i t y b y r e l a ti n g v e rb a l e x p re s s i o n s t o t h e i r c o n te x t . P o s t m o d e m i sm i s
a m o u n t a i n c r e a t e d w i t h o u t e v e n a m o l e h i ll . I t is a m e re c o n c e i t , h a v i n g n o
bas i s i n rea l i t y o r sc ho la r ly va lue .
T h e p r e m i s e s t h a t f o r m t h e b a s i s o f b e h a v io r i s m , p o s t m o d e m i s m a n d o t h e r
a c a d e m i c g a n g s , a n d t h e r e a so n s fo r t h e s t a rk s e p a ra t i o n b e t w e e n t h e d i s -c ip l ines , a re usua l ly so t ransparen t ly t r iv i a l o r absurd tha t t hey sugges t a
l i n k a g e t o e m o t i o n a l n e e d s . Th e m o re a b su rd t h e p re m i se , t h e c l e a r e r t h a t
m e m b e r sh i p i s a m a t t e r o f sh e e r l o y a l t y , r a t h e r t h a n m e e t i n g p ra g m a t i c o r
m a t e r i a l n e e d s . G a n g a n d c l a n m e m b e r s a r e t h e re fo re a s su re d o f e a c h o t h e r s
l o y a l ty r e g a rd l e ss o f h o w t h e p e r s p e c ti v e p r o m o t e d b y t h e g a n g f a r e s i n t h e
rea l wor ld .
T h e d i s g r a c e th a t ha s b e f al le n w o r l d c o m m u n i s m w i t h t h e d i s s o l u ti o n o f t h eU S S R a n d t h e E a s t e r n B l o c h a s l e f t t h e a c a d e m i c g a n g o f M a r x i s ts u n s c a t h e d .
F e w o f t h e m h a v e s o m u c h a s b l i n k e d at t h e i g n o m i n y th a t h a s f al le n o n t h e i r
p e r sp e c t i v e . S e c u r i ty fo r o n e ' s a t t a c h m e n t s i s n o t e a sy t o c o m e b y i n o u r a g e .
Th e d i v o rc e r at e fo r p ro fe s so r s i s h i g h e s t i n t h e i r so c ia l c la s s . I n a w o r l d w h e re
se c u re a t t a c h m e n t s to o t h e r s a r e t e n u o u s a t b e s t, t h e g a n g a n d c l a n m e m b e r ' s
l o y a l t y h o v e r s o n b e i n g e t e rn a l .
Th e i so l a t io n i m p o se d o n p ro fe s so r s b y t h e i r s e a rch fo r sp e c i a l i ze d k n o w l -
e d g e m a y e x p l a i n w h y s o m u c h o f g a n g a n d c l a n i d e n t i t y i s n e g a t i v e i nc h a ra c t e r . P h y s i c i s t s l i k e t o s a y t h a t t h e re a r e o n l y t w o k i n d s o f c h e m i s t s :
p h y s i c a l c h e m i s t s a n d s t in k i n g c h e m i s ts . P r o f es s o r s o f t h e h u m a n i t ie s p r id e
t h e m se l v e s t h a t t h e y a r e n o t t a s te l e s s a n d i n se n s it iv e li k e s c i e n ti s ts . Th e p o w -
e r i n t h e so c i a l s c i e n c e s r e s i d e s i n t h e q u a n t i ta t iv e , n u m b e r - c ru n c h i n g w i n g ;
q u a n t i t a t iv e so c i a l s c ie n t i s ts t a k e c o n su m m a t e p a i n s to d e m o n s t r a t e t h a t t h e y
a re n o t so f t li k e t h e h u m a n i s t s . S o c i o l o g i s t s a r e n o t su re o f w h a t t h e i r su b j e c t
c o n s i s t s i n , b u t t h e y a r e q u i t e c e r t a in w h a t i t is n o t : p sy c h o l o g i c a l . Th e y a b i d e
b y s t ru c t u ra l ( c o l le c t iv e ) a p p ro a c h e s , a n d d i sm i s s a n y a t t e m p t t o i n c l u d e
p sy c h o l o g i c a l e l e m e n t s a s r e d u c t i o n is t . Th e se t e rm s h a v e l it tl e r e al r a t io n a l eo r e v e n m e a n i n g ; t h e y a r e n o m o r e t h a n e m b l e m s o f l o y a lt y to t h e c l an .
I f g ro u p l o y a l t y a n d a t t a c h m e n t i s t h e m a i n e m o t i o n a l s a t i s f a c t i o n fo u n d
i n g a n g m e m b e r s h i p , t h e n n e g a t i v e i d e n t it i e s m a k e s e n se . F o r a g a n g o r c l a n
t o a t t e m p t a p o s i t i v e d e f i n it i o n o f t h e i r i d e n t i ty r i sk s w h o l e sa l e d i v i s iv e n e s s
a n d d i su n i t y , b e c a u se o f e a c h p ro fe s so r ' s q u e s t f o r sp e c i a l i z e d k n o w l e d g e .
B a sh i n g , a n d m u c h w o r se , i g n o r i n g o t h e r g a n g s a n d c l a n s is a r isk - f re e w a y
o f m a i n t a i n in g u n i t a ry g r o u p s .
In t h i s a t m o sp h e re , a c a d e m i c j a rg o n p l a y s a c e n t r a l ro l e in s i g n a l i n g l o y a l t yt o t h e g a n g o r c la n . S o m e t e rm i n o l o g y i s b a se d o n t h i n air , h a v i n g n o e m p i r i c a l
fo u n d a t i o n w h a t e v e r . P sy c h o a n a l y t i c c o n c e p t s l ik e i d a n d su p e re g o h a v e n e v e r
b e e n d e f i n e d , n e i t h e r b y F re u d n o r b y a n y o f h i s fo ll o w e r s . Th e i r u sa g e a s
v a g u e a n d f l e x i b l e m e t a p h o r s c o n t i n u e s t o c o n fu se b o t h w r i t e r a n d r e a d e r ,
b u t h a s a l i f e o f i ts o w n . T h e sy s t e m o f d i a g n o s t i c c l a s si f ic a t io n c r e a te d
b y t h e A m e r i c a n P sy c h i a t r ic A sso c i a t i o n h a s b e e n sh o w n t o b e a rb it ra ry
a n d w i t h o u t s c i e n t if i c b a s is , b u t l i tt le c o m p l a i n t h a s b e e n r a i s e d a g a i n s t i t
b y a c a d e m i c p sy c h i a t r is t s . Th e se c l a s si f ic a t io n s a r e e l a b o ra t e f i c ti o n s w h i c h
fu n c t i o n a l m o s t e n t i r e ly a s t e s t a m e n t s to g a n g a n d c l a n l o y al ty .Th e l o n g su rv i v a l o f t h e L i n n a e a n sy s t e m o f c l a s s if i ca t io n in b o t a n y i s a
m o r e s u b t le e x a m p l e o f j a r g o n w h o s e f u n c t i o n is m o s t l y a s i g n a l o f l oy a lt y.
Th i s sy s t e m i s e n t i r e l y d e sc r ip t i v e a n d a t h e o re t ic a l , b a se d o n l y o n t h e o u t e r
a p p e a ra n c e o f p l a n t s , r a t h e r t h a n a t h e o ry u n i t i n g fo rm a n d fu n c t i o n . (Th e
p e r i o d i c t a b l e o f t h e e l e m e n t s , s i n c e it is b a s e d o n a t o m i c th e o r y , i s a c o u n t e r -
e x a m p l e . ) F o r t h i s r e a s o n , e v e r y m a j o r d i s c o v e r y o f n e w s p e c ie s r a t tl e s t h e
e n t i r e s c h e m e . I t h a s b e e n l o n g n o t e d t h a t t r a d i ti o n a l r e if i e d c l a s s if i c a ti o n sa r e u n d u l y a t t r a c t iv e t o a c a d e m i c i a n s . P e r h a p s t h e i r ro l e a s b a d g e s o f l o y a l t y
t o t h e g a n g a n d c l a n e x p l a i n t h e i r d u ra b i li t y .
Is t h e re a n y w a y o u t o f t h e m o r a s s o f g a n g d o m a n d c l a n d o m ? T h e p r o b l e m
i s n o t a n e a s y o n e , s i n c e g a n g a n d c l a n l o y a l ti e s a r e s o c l o s e l y ti e d to m e m -
b e r s i d e n t i ti e s . P e r h a p s o n e d i r e c t i o n w o u l d b e t o tr a i n f u t u r e p r o f e s s o r s
i n a b r o a d e r w a y , p a r a l l e l i n g c o n t e m p o r a r y r e f o r m s i n m e d i c a l e d u c a t i o n .
S t r e t c h i n g g r a d u a t e t r a i n i n g t o i n c l u d e b o t h i n t e r d i s c i p l i n a r y a n d a g e n e r a l
e d u c a t i o n c o u l d h a v e a b o t h a n e m o t i o n a l a n d a n i n t e ll e c tu a l b e n e fi t. S u c h
a m o v e m i g h t a l l o w p r o f e s s o r s t o t a l k t o e a c h o t h e r a c r o s s s p e c i a l t i e s a n d
d i s c i p l i n e s , a n d e v e n h a v e a w o r d o r t w o f o r s tu d e n t s a n d t h e g e n e r a l p u b l ic .
C r o s s - ta l k o f th i s k i n d w o u l d l e s se n t h e a l i e n a ti o n th a t m a k e s g a n g s a n d c l a n s
a l l bu t i r r e s i st ib le .
B r o a d e n i n g g r a d u a t e e d u c a t i o n m i g h t a l s o h a v e a n i n te l le c t u a l b e n e fi t. W e
a r e in a n e r a o f h y p e r s p e c i a l iz a t i o n , i n w h i c h p r o f e s so r s k n o w m o r e a n d m o r e
a b o u t l e s s a n d l es s. A s m o s t o f t h e i m p o r t a n t d i sc o v e r ie s i n o u r t i m e h a v e
s h o w n , h y p e r s p e c i a l i z a t i o n i s i n t e l le c t u a l l y a s w e l l a s e m o t i o n a l l y c ri p p l in g :
T h e D o u b l e H e l i x ( W a t s o n 1 9 8 0 ) s h o u l d b e r e q u i r e d r e a d i n g f o r a l l g r a d u a t es t u d en t s , n o t j u s t t h o s e i n b io l o g y . D i s p e r s in g a c a d e m i c g a n g s m a y b e a m o r e
d i f f ic u l t p r o b l e m t h a n d e a l i n g w i t h s t r e e t g a n g s , b e c a u s e i t i s h i d d e n , b u t i t
c a n t h u r t u s t o a t l e a s t d i s c u s s i t o p e n ly .
e f e r en c e s
Anderson, Elijah. 1994. The Code o f the Streets.Atlantic M onthly April.
W atson, John . 1980. The Dou ble Helix. New York: Norton.
