Understanding the causes of crime amongst the 'Bayaaye' of Kampala-Uganda: The role of context

Abstract

Theories of crime have focused almost exclusively on research, data and ideas generated by global north sociologists. This has led to a focus on the problem of crime as it manifests itself in America and Europe. The philosopher Richard Rorty refers to this as the "conversation of the West" (Bernstein J, 2008). This conversation and intellectual context have largely shaped both the method and focus of criminology. Problems however arise when research findings are generalised to non-western settings. Bayaaye is a general term that refers to a group of young people in Kampala (Uganda); who are ‘common criminals’. To a large extent Uganda did not experience the contexts that generated western data and theory. The cultural experiences, modes of transition into adulthood, routines and socialisation spaces of young people in Uganda, substantially differ from those of the global north. Using an ethnographic approach, this study explored the causes of criminality amongst the Bayaaye within their unique ‘Kampala markets’ context. By examining the contexts that gave rise to current criminological theories, the study tries to determine their relevance with regard to the Bayaaye. A sample of 105 Bayaaye was chosen for the study using a snowball approach. Responses from a final cohort of 65 respondents were considered and analysed. Historical works of criminology were examined as a basis for the analysis and interpretation of results.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Craig Webber: orcid.org/0000-0003-3900-7579

ORCID for Charlie Walker: orcid.org/0000-0003-4875-3311

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