Taking it to the streets: The larrikins and the Lebanese

The aim of this chapter is to examine how the street is socially constructed as a site for action and adventure by different groups of young people. The first part examines the push larrikins of Sydney and Melbourne in the 1800s - groups of young people who were noted for their street presence and who were at the centre of moral panics for several decades. The paper then gives consideration to contemporary examples of street-present youth through reference to the so-called Middle Eastern gangs of Sydney. Interesting differences and similarities are explored between the two time periods and the two groups. Consideration is given to street activities, group appearance, policing practices and the specific nature of the moral panic. The intersection of class, gender, ethnicity and age is variously explored as part of the interpretation of these phenomena.