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Linie 4: What is behind a 'clan'?

Stella Nüschen (Foto: Private)

So-called 'clan crime' is on everyone's lips. But what is a ‘clan’ actually all about? Sociologist Stella Nüschen addresses this question in her presentation “What is behind a 'clan'? Communication about alleged criminal extended families, how they are constructed (and what for)” in the public lecture series Linie 4, organised by the BGHS together with the vhs Bielefeld.

Almost every day, the media report on dark deeds that emanate from allegedly criminal extended families, resulting in large-scale operations by the police and administration in response. But ‘clans’ do not only appear in media coverage, politics has also reacted to them. Approaches such as the “strategy of 1000 pinpricks”, in which controls refer not only to criminal law, but above all to aspects of commercial, hygiene and immigration law, aim to combat ‘clan crime’. However, it is still unclear what exactly constitutes a ‘clan’. Stella Nüschen will report on what staff, civil society and authorities who professionally deal with ‘clans’ and ‘clan crime’ actually understand by it and what problems arise from this understanding.

Stella Nüschen is a research associate in the research project “Kriminalität und Kriminalisierung von Angehörigen großfamiliärer Strukturen” at the German Police University in Münster. She has been doing her PhD on “The negotiation of affiliations in exclusionary contexts” at the BGHS since 2021.

The presentation will take place on Monday, 12 June 2023 at 6.15 pm in room 240 at the vhs Bielefeld, Ravensberger Park 1. The event will be held in German.

Here you will find information about Linie 4 and the presentations in the series.