Political Graffiti in Critical Times

Political Graffiti in Critical Times by Ricardo Campos

Whether aesthetically or politically inspired, graffiti is among the oldest forms of expression in human history, one that becomes especially significant during periods of social and political upheaval. With a particular focus on the demographic, ecological, and economic crises of today, this volume provides a wide-ranging exploration of urban space and visual protest. Assembling case studies that cover topics such as gentrification in Cyprus, the convulsions of post-independence East Timor, and opposition to Donald Trump in the American capital, it reveals the diverse ways in which street artists challenge existing social orders and reimagine urban landscapes.

“This compelling, timely volume makes a significant contribution to the growing body of scholarship on graffiti and wall art and does so in a way that puts such scholarship in critical conversation with geography, urban studies, sociology, political theory, and social movements researchAn engaging and important book—highly recommended.” • Jeff Ferrell, author of Crimes of Style: Urban Graffiti and the Politics of Criminality.

“An interesting contextualization of street art and graffiti. It nicely frames ‘crisis’ as a condition that creates space for the production of street art and graffiti and provides motivation for their production but can also bring about a more authoritarian reaction. The conceptual framing is strong, and the diversity of topics is a primary contribution to that strength.” • Tyson Mitman, York St John University

Ricardo Campos is a researcher at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Social Sciences (CICSNova, Nova FCSH), Portugal. His books include Transglobal Sounds: Music, Identity and Migrant Descendants.