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On The Run By Alice Goffman Summary

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Book Review: On the Run: Fugitive Life in an American City Jaleesa Reed University of Georgia Book Review: On the Run: Fugitive Life in an American City On the Run: Fugitive Life in an American City is a fascinating ethnography that seeks to expose and unpack the everyday lives of African American men living in Philadelphia. The author, Alice Goffman, examines the lives of these men who are “on the run” not only from the laws that seek to restrict their lives, but also from their own identities that have become synonymous with outstanding warrants, prison time, and running. Like ethnographers before her, Goffman immerses herself in the lives of her informants. Her study reveals the oppressive nature of neoliberal America and urges …show more content…

In Goffman’s book, these themes are represented in her chapter titles. First, in “The 6th Street Boys and Their Legal Entanglements,” Goffman describes the types of legal troubles the men are frequently involved in. The most common offenses were outstanding warrants for small reasons such as “failure to appear for a court date” or delinquent “court fines and fees” (Goffman, 2014, p. 18). The more serious technical warrants were issued for probation or parole violations such as drinking or breaking curfew. Most of Goffman’s legal analysis focused on outstanding warrants and the men’s reaction, or desire, to stay out of jail. To accomplish this, the men are forced to participate and train others in “The Art of Running.” In this chapter, Goffman depicts the constant cat and mouse game of running for freedom as a community interaction. A successful run is the accomplishment of many, not just the wanted man. From the neighbor who notifies him, to the church friend that hides him in her closet three blocks away, the community does what it can to protect their young men. Not all men are successful, some are caught and for most, running is only one form of

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