Killing Time: The Role of Boredom in Glasgow Gangs

Abstract

Boredom may be one of the largest maladies of the modern world. A phenomenon which has increasingly become embedded in our social structures. Yet, as a concept within criminology there is a dearth of knowledge concerning it, despite the influence it has on offending and offending behaviours. Through a constructivist grounded theory (CGT) methodology with gangs in Glasgow, insights are shared, exploring how and in what ways boredom affects gang members and the strategies employed to alleviate it. This paper applies Svendsen’s (2005) existential definition of boredom and explores the concepts of temporality, meaning-making and agency as occurring at the nexus of boredom and excitement-seeking behaviours for Glasgow gang members.