Work

Gangs and the Gig Economy: Triads, Precarity and Illicit Work in Hong Kong

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: Paid employment in the criminal economy is, in many ways, the essence of precarious labour yet to date criminological work on the so-called ‘gig economy’ is scarce. Here we apply emergent sociological literature on ‘post-Fordist’ working cultures to precarious youth employment in Hong Kong, arguing: (1) recent reorganizations of labour markets towards flexible entrepreneurship are mirrored in the illicit economy; (2) a shift in structural features of triad gangs has led to a parallel form of ‘network sociality’; and (3) triad-affiliated youth remained rooted in place-based ‘communities of practice’ that form a point of difference from existing theory. In concluding, we reflect on the implications of these arguments for the study of illicit economies, triads and post-Fordist working cultures.

Source: The British Journal of Criminology

DOI: 10.1093/bjc/azad018

Authors: Alistair Fraser, Karen Joe-Laidler

Institutions: University of Glasgow, University of Hong Kong

Language: English

Topic: Crime, Illicit Activities, and Governance

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Decent work and economic growth, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,798