The Role of Fashion in Crime Symbolism in Ghana, West Africa

ABSTRACT

This study delves into the intricate interplay between fashion and deviance, focusing on Ghana, West Africa to address the gap in understanding how clothing choices can serve as symbolic conduits for deviant behavior in Ghana. We adopted a qualitative approach, utilizing ethnographic research design to explore the complex relationship between clothing, symbolism, and deviant behavior in the Ghanaian cultural context. We conducted semi-structured interviews with three categories of participants: 10 deviant or criminal individuals from Nsawam prisons and in the communities through non-participant observation, 8 community members, and 2 law enforcement officers. We employed purposive sampling method to ensure that participants had relevant expertise and firsthand knowledge related to clothing symbolism in deviant subcultures. The study findings mainly revealed that clothes convey identities and codes subtly and is a potent emblem of group connection. The intricate dynamics surrounding the stigmatization and labeling of clothing symbolism have an impact on people’s self-esteem and interaction with law enforcement. To develop guidelines and training programs for law enforcement officers and community members on concrete methods of identifying and comprehending clothing symbolism within deviant and criminal subcultures, policy makers may form a collaborative task force consisting of law enforcement, community leaders, and cultural experts.

Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to all participants, including individuals from various institutions, who made themselves available for several interviews and discussions. The authors are also grateful to Kofi Nunoo of the Centre for Languages and Liberal Studies, Takoradi Technical University for proofreading the manuscript. All efforts are duly acknowledged and appreciated.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ronald Osei Mensah

Ronald Osei Mensah is a Lecturer in the Social Development Section at Takoradi Technical University and a Doctoral Researcher in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. His research interests include Criminal Justice Education, Crime and Cultural Deviance, Penology, Sociology of Education, Media Studies, and African History. He has more than fifty (50) referred publications to his credit because of his desire for writing and sharing global knowledge.

Vivian Korankye

Vivian Korankye is a Lecturer in the Fashion Department at Takoradi Technical University, Ghana, under the Faculty of Applied Arts and Technology. She is a PhD Candidate in the Industrial Arts Department at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Her research interests include fashion design approaches, cultural diplomacy, cross-cultural understanding, sustainability in the fashion industry, and design thinking and innovation.