"We out here": Skateboarding, segregation and resistance in the Bronx

TL;DRAbstract

This thesis argues that black and Latino skateboarders from the Bronx and Washington Heights use skateboarding to resist racial segregation. The researcher used the work of Henri Lefebvre and Iain Borden to analyze how the spatial practice of skateboarders counteracts racial segregation. This study is the first to examine the links between race, segregation, and skateboarding in New York City. The researcher conducted nineteen ethnographic interviews with skateboarders from the Bronx and Washington Heights between the ages of 18 and 38. Findings suggest that skateboarding is a spatial practice that helps skaters avoid police harassment, create community, and avoid gang and street life. Further research is needed to continue to investigate the importance of skateboarding and everyday resistance for this population and confirm the validity of the data.

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