Abstract
This paper seeks to understand why interpersonal aggressions that lead to homicides in young people can be tolerated, claimed or acclaimed in the contexts of sociability in which they occur. The methodology developed was qualitative, namely it sought to document and analyze the meanings and experiences of the actors from their perspectives. The field work was carried out with young men from popular sectors that inhabit six municipalities in the Buenos Aires suburbs between 2014 and 2017. Among the results, we argue that empowerment of lethal aggressions is linked to a reduction in youth sociability in peer groups with strong territorial inks. This reduction is expressed as a consequence of the weakness of family, work and institutional ties in shaping the social experience of young people. In peer groups, responses to insults can be valued not only as a way of intervening in conflicts, but also as a source of belonging and social recognition. We conclude that these reduced sociabilities express socio-political inequalities that contribute to homicide being an exceptional event with recurrent spaces for interaction.
Key words:
Homicides; Young adult; Interpersonal relations; Violence; Argentina