«До талого, пацаны!»*: молодежные неформальные территориальные группировки Элисты

Introduction. The article deals with street youth gangs in Elista, the capital of Kalmykia. In the process of their development, such organized criminal groups have transformed into a special subculture with its own hierarchies, spheres of influence, lifestyles, language, and practices. The author aims to show the development of this phenomenon as a subculture in the youth milieu, describing the norms of behavior, values, and life orientations of members of particular gangs operating in Elista. Data and methods. The main research sources are field materials collected by the author by way of interviewing members of such informal groups. The analysis involved the structural-functional method, participatory observation method, method of content-analysis and interviewing. Results. There is a history to the growth of modern informal groupings in the town: in fact, they proliferated during the period of restoration of the Kalmyk ASSR with its center in Elista. Under new conditions, within urban environment informal street gangs were formed on the principle of shared territories, which was in fact the most typical kind of such groupings in the country at large. For the younger generation, the street served as a space of masculine brotherly unity based on bodily practices, as well as on similar ideas, views, and concepts. In the period between 2000 and 2010, some of the informal units represented qualitatively new forms of organized criminal youth groupings; these were characterized by dominance practices, power relations, and age hierarchy. Although the youth (patsan) companies were not part of the criminal thieves’ subculture, they maintained to a degree this connection and found ways for organized criminal activity.

Gender and Sexuality in Street Youth Cultures in the United States and Canada

Young people’s experiences with spaces commonly called “the streets” are greatly influenced by gender and sexuality. Because queer and trans youth are policed in specific ways because of their identities and presentations and because queer and trans youth are more likely to experience homelessness than their peers, it is vitally important to understand the ways these young people are making meaning, knowledge, and culture from their experiences on “the streets” within the contexts of the United States and Canada.

Examining suicidal ideation among street involved youth : a resilience perspective

This exploratory study examined risk factors and protective resources for suicidal ideation among street youth in four community agencies in Metro Toronto. A secondary data analysis of 65 street youth from a collaborative project funded by the Wellesley Institute was undertaken to explore the relationships between suicidal ideation and age, gender, sexual orientation, history of physical/sexual abuse, depression, hopelessness, self-esteem, social connectedness and resilience. Results of the analysis revealed that high levels of slef-esteem, social connectedness and resilience are protective of suicidal thought, while an increase in age, being unsure of one's sexual orientation, and a high level of depression, as well as hopelessness were found to be risk factors for suicidal ideation. A history of physical abuse and/or sexual abuse was not found to be significantly related to suicidal ideation at a 0.05 level, but for this study, it was not considered to be significant (significance level set at 0.01). Implications of these findings are discussed.

Giving voice to the street: a case study of Toronto’s Street Voices magazine

This Major Research Paper investigates Street Voices Magazine as an instrument and communications tool to engage and empower street youth in Toronto. The following questions guided my study: What are the ways in which Street Voices Magazine gives voice to the marginalized and silenced? Why is Street Voices Magazine an appropriate medium for connecting with street youth? A mixed-method approach was used to analyze the texts and images in three issues of the magazine to determine the effectiveness of the print medium, what these texts and images suggest about the motivations of the contributors, and whether the magazine meets its objective of serving street youth. The study suggests that the transformative potential of the arts, the role of the magazine in fostering in the contributors the identity of an artist, and the lack of other spaces for expression are significant themes that underpin Street Voices Magazine’s appeal and effectiveness. The study also leads to suggestions for further research, which could improve an understanding of this diverse demographic and confirm the impact of Street Voices Magazine.

Giving voice to the street: a case study of Toronto’s Street Voices magazine

This Major Research Paper investigates Street Voices Magazine as an instrument and communications tool to engage and empower street youth in Toronto. The following questions guided my study: What are the ways in which Street Voices Magazine gives voice to the marginalized and silenced? Why is Street Voices Magazine an appropriate medium for connecting with street youth? A mixed-method approach was used to analyze the texts and images in three issues of the magazine to determine the effectiveness of the print medium, what these texts and images suggest about the motivations of the contributors, and whether the magazine meets its objective of serving street youth. The study suggests that the transformative potential of the arts, the role of the magazine in fostering in the contributors the identity of an artist, and the lack of other spaces for expression are significant themes that underpin Street Voices Magazine’s appeal and effectiveness. The study also leads to suggestions for further research, which could improve an understanding of this diverse demographic and confirm the impact of Street Voices Magazine.

Examining suicidal ideation among street involved youth : a resilience perspective

This exploratory study examined risk factors and protective resources for suicidal ideation among street youth in four community agencies in Metro Toronto. A secondary data analysis of 65 street youth from a collaborative project funded by the Wellesley Institute was undertaken to explore the relationships between suicidal ideation and age, gender, sexual orientation, history of physical/sexual abuse, depression, hopelessness, self-esteem, social connectedness and resilience. Results of the analysis revealed that high levels of slef-esteem, social connectedness and resilience are protective of suicidal thought, while an increase in age, being unsure of one's sexual orientation, and a high level of depression, as well as hopelessness were found to be risk factors for suicidal ideation. A history of physical abuse and/or sexual abuse was not found to be significantly related to suicidal ideation at a 0.05 level, but for this study, it was not considered to be significant (significance level set at 0.01). Implications of these findings are discussed.