This book takes you on a tour of the gang phenomenon throughout history, as well as current representations of gangs in literature and media. It includes: a detailed global overview of gang culture, covering, amongst others, Glasgow, Chicago, Hong Kong, and Shanghai; a chapter on researching gangs which covers quantitative and qualitative methods; and extra chapter features such as key terms, chapter overviews, study questions and further reading suggestions. The title brings together gang-literature and critical perspectives in a refreshingly new way, exploring gangs as a social group with a long and fascinating history.