Typically Moroccan? A Group Dynamic Explanation of Nuisance and Criminal Behavior

Abstract

In the Netherlands, there is a lot of attention to troublesome youth groups of Moroccan descent. In the media, these groups are classified as gangs, and anthropologists offer an explanation of their delinquent behavior based on their Moroccan cultural heritage. In this chapter, both positions are questioned. Should we classify these groups as gangs? There is reason to believe that the groups are not gangs because they are not durable enough, but what can we say about the networks from which these groups emerge? And should we utilize a cultural explanation for their delinquent behavior? In this chapter, it is proposed that a group dynamic model of delinquent behavior and group identity explains more of the behavior of these Moroccan youth than does a cultural explanation. The boys form groups for their interactive needs for recognition, security, and enjoyment. They develop a street culture in which delinquent behavior is positively valued. They adapt their behavior to the group in order to receive positive responses from other group members and especially avoid negative reactions. I argue that strengthening group identity, increasing peer pressure, and intensification of us-them contrasts lead to nuisance and criminal behavior that can be classified as extreme.