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Thesis
The Art of Spatial Resistance: The Global Urban Network of Street Art
(2005)
  • Gordon C. C. Douglas, University of Southern California
Abstract
This study examines street art as a form of popular culture, popular communication, and popular spatial resistance that connects cities and the people in them. Taking a cultural studies approach, it asserts that street art serves not only as a medium for self-expression, but as a means for reclaiming public spaces, communicating to the masses, and forming local and global social networks. In the context of sociological globalization studies, the discourse of global cities, and global city network theory, it argues that street art can form inter-city networks of ‘multi-local’ popular resistance. Newly compiled quantitative data from six global street artists produce complete network matrices and visualizations representative of a weighted, directional network of eight cities. Empirical social network analysis is used in demonstrating this global urban network of street art, and discussing its properties and wider implications. This network analysis illustrates the existence of global urban networks based on subcultural practices, suggesting an important new way of looking at global city networks, and revealing the potential for other such studies.
Publication Date
August, 2005
Degree
MA/MSc
Field of study
Global Media and Communication
Department
Annenberg School for Communication
Advisor
Dr. Terhi Rantenen, LSE and Dr. Christopher Holmes Smith, USC
Comments
Originally produced as a dissertation submitted to the Department of Media and Communications, London School of Economics, August 15 2005, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the MSc in Global Media, part of the dual MA/MSc program in Global Media and Communication at the London School of Economics and the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication.
Citation Information
Gordon C. C. Douglas. "The Art of Spatial Resistance: The Global Urban Network of Street Art" (2005)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/gordon-douglas/59/