Is nomadism the ‘problem’? The social construction of Gypsies and Travellers as perpetrators of ‘anti-social’ behaviour in Britain

Book sysnopsis: Anti-social behaviour is a key issue in the social and political life of Britain in the twenty-first century, as were respectability and immorality in the Victorian era. Written by expert sociologists, historians, criminologists and political scientists, this interdisciplinary collection examines anti-social behaviour from a range of historical and contemporary perspectives. The volume compares two essential themes, firstly the forms of anti-social behaviour and secondly the methods employed by governments to repress and control anti-social behaviour. Compelling parallels emerge through the interrelated chapters, which are divided into three main areas: the urban environment and public spaces, the vulnerable and the marginalised and recreation and leisure. This comprehensive collection is the first to examine anti-social behaviour from such an inclusive and wide-ranging position. It establishes clear parallels between the two periods regarding types of ASB and how they have been dealt with by successive governments, arguing that anti-social behaviour and political responses to it are by no means new phenomena.