Sociology

As a Columbia University professor, Sudhir Venkatesh has recorded his experience within a period of 7 years of following and befriending a Chicago drug dealing gang in an attempt to investigate the complex world of Windy Citys urban poor (Venkatesh    299).  He involved himself with the Black Kings who had a certain J.T. as their leader when he was a first-year doctoral student studying at the University of Chicago (Venkatesh    301).

ESSAY
The book starts by telling the readers of how the authors adventure begun, in 1989 (Venkatesh    302).  He was studying sociology and had set out to carry a research study in one of Chicagos toughest housing projects, to investigate his sample question of how it feels to be black and poor (Venkatesh    303).  Once he completed his research, he was still fascinated with the life in the housing projects despite getting rid of his clipboard as well as the questionnaire used during the study.  He frequented the Chicago housing projects and in the end befriended a gang leader by the name of J. T., living an insider-outsider life for the next decade on the citys South Side (Venkatesh   305 ).  His affiliates were his predecessors at the University of Chicago who acted also as his academic advisers.  During his research, he got a taste of power and experienced various challenges associated with it for instance making daily rounds in an effort to sort out petty mistakes made by uneducated, violent and underpaid soldiers of the platoons for which he was put in charge (Venkatesh   306 ).

Venkateshs main purpose of writing this book was to get a close up into the world of the urban poor especially gangs within such regions (Venkatesh    309).  He wanted to get a taste of how it feels to be a poor individual trying to not only make sense of his status and life in general but also survive in the harsh world.  On the other hand, he was an individual who grew up in California, a professor at Columbia university and therefore did not have to struggle to make ends meet compared to the people he had set out to investigate(Venkatesh    310).

The most important evidence the author presents to support his thesis is where he describes his time with the gang member, being left with the responsibility of running the gangs platoons who apparently were underpaid and uneducated (Venkatesh    311).  The gang leader, J. T. allowed the author to have full access into their world, revealing what the urban poor have to go through in order to make a life for themselves and their families (Venkatesh    312).  Those who associated with the author during this period cited that they have to make choices and do what they have to in order to survive.  The evidence used in this research, according to the author was obtained through ethnographic research but has counter evidence for instance, there are those who think that his book was evil since he was required to work with and become a part of a gang for 6 years (Venkatesh    313). 

In a bid to deal with the counter evidence, the author suggests that it was necessary for him to work with and live with the gang in order to obtain concrete evidence for his thesis and for him to be able to reveal to the rest of the world as concerns the urban poor (Venkatesh    315).  He also argues that through his experience with the gang, he discovered that not all gang members are uneducated and cash rich.  He also discovered that majority of gang leaders are actually kindhearted individuals who are just trying to make a life of themselves as well as their families (Venkatesh    316). 

Ethnographic research has its numerous advantages and disadvantages as is seen in the book, for instance it is best applicable to those human behaviors that are understood through observation within their natural environment (Venkatesh    317).  Ethnographic research also provides the researcher with comprehensive perspective of the research topic as compared to other forms of research. This can be seen as the author makes the decision to live with the gang members during his research study.  On the other hand, one of the disadvantages of ethnographic research is that it rarely included numerical data and therefore it is impossible to check the validity of the studys conclusion (Venkatesh    307).  It is also not possible to avoid observer or researcher biasness as concerns the research topic as is illustrated by the author when after living with the gang for 6 years, ended up denying ever being friends with them (Venkatesh    304). 

The book Gang Leader for a Day brings out the ethical question of whether or not gangs are evil.  The author tends to bring out the fact that contrary to popular belief of gangs being out to rob, cause harm and even murder innocent individuals, this particular gang was perceived as being protector and a de facto administrator of the Chicago housing development (Venkatesh   318).  The books argument concerning this is convincing since the author documents in details exactly what was happening during his stay with the gang as well as in the course of his being responsible for platoons within the gang (Venkatesh    319).  Individuals who would find this book especially useful are those desiring to learn more about the urban poor and how individuals of lower income status struggle to survive in this harsh world (Venkatesh   320).

CONCLUSION
Gang Leader for a Day is a book informing readers of the ways in which the urban poor support as well as protect themselves in their day-to-day lives.  It also gives a different perspective concerning drug dealing gangs attitudes and purposes in modern day societies.