Another interesting read. This is the true story of Sudhir Venkatesh and his becoming a gang leader for a day in Chicago. Sudhir was a sociologist student who ends up befriending a gang leader in one of Chicago's notorious housing projects.
Sudhir spends a lot of time with the gang leader, JT, and comes to have unprecedented freedom and access to people in these housing projects due to JT's protection. Sudhir learns about the inner politics and workings of the projects and gangs and how they help (and hurt) the communities.
One day, Sudhir is given the reigns of the gang and becomes a gang leader for a day and realizes how it's quite difficult.
It was a pretty fascinating read shedding light onto a way of life that is completely foreign to me. If you are looking for first-hand insight into a completely different world, give this a read.
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