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Contestation and Conformity

Street and Park Skateboarding in New York City Public Space

The Graduate Center, The City University of New York

By comparing street skating and park skating, this article examines why skateboarders persist in their use of public space even in the face of extensive regulation and the provision of skate parks. The researcher conducted participant observation and interviews in four sites in New York City: Brooklyn Bridge Plaza, Union Square Park, Riverside Skate Park, and Hudson River Skate Park. A total of 16 semistructured interviews were conducted. Differences between street and park skating are presented by utilizing three dimensions: the social production of public space, the social control imposed on skaters, and the discursive construction of skateboarding. Street skateboarding represents a contesting spatial practice creating a mental, social, and body space, embodying a skater's self-identity and cultural expression. Findings suggest that the governance of public space needs to adapt to the changing needs of multiple users rather than excluding a few without any attempt at accommodating them.

Key Words: skateboarding • skate parks • spatial practice • public space • New York City

Space and Culture, Vol. 12, No. 1, 25-42 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1206331208325598


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