Unruly law. Rule of law and rules of the game in arenas of government – gang interaction in El Salvador

Abstract

This article explores the rules and laws that govern the ways in which different state agents deal with and relate to street gangs in El Salvador. By conceptualising the state as a field of power, it discusses a number of arenas in which different types of state actors interact with gangs. Each arena is governed by a set of rules, which affect the practices and images of state law. The arena approach sheds light on the different ways in which state agents deal with gangs and how practices and images of state law relate to the rules in each of the arenas. While in certain cases, legality is faked and illegality is covered up, in others, legality is criticised and illegality defended or denied. The article shows that the ensemble of ‘state practices’ does not lead to a consensual set of rules and laws about the use of force towards gangs, as the question of how to deal with gangs – in particular whether to repress or collude - remains highly contested.