ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at youth belonging, safety and territoriality in various parts of Islington, in London. It aims to counter the binaries that are created between constructions of young people as either 'angels' or 'demons' by 'youth geographers'. The chapter attempts to use the voice of young people to explain and articulate the dynamics of youth territoriality: an 'etic' definition that must be contextualised within local circumstances. Territoriality should be seen as a moment in transition to adulthood, something that was transcended by some unforeseen milestone on the way to maturity. The chapter presents a short summary to two focus groups composed of survey respondents. The first focus group participants were recruited from each of the six survey areas whilst the second were mainly recruited from a nearby homeless hostel for young people. Gender was invoked in both focus groups without any prompting. Neighbourhoods were the conversations about the area and crime that generated the richest data.
