Closing Statements

Poverty Discourse

-          Presence of graffiti in poverty stricken areas.

-          Graffiti is also seen in more affluent areas.

-          This act seems to depend on the individual, not necessarily their socio-economic background.

Social Identity

-          An expression of identity and presence e.g. Graffiti displaying names or gang symbolism to mark territory or as a way to show they are tough or cool.

Subcultures

-          Relevance and use of graffiti in different realms: graffiti accepted in closed of areas, such as a skate park, while not deemed acceptable in the ‘wider world’.

-          Can dictate when and where graffiti is deemed criminal or non-criminal.

Criminality

-          Some forms of graffiti are organised and deemed non-criminal e.g. community murals.

-          Other forms of graffiti are deemed criminal e.g. graffiti over an organised mural, graffiti on public or personal property.

Property Discourse

-          Graffiti upon some forms of property may provide a different reaction from the public, as well the individual graffiti-ing.

-          ‘Public’ property and ‘private’ property both experience graffiti.

-          The reaction towards these can differ. Graffiti upon less valuable ‘public’ property or graffiti that is less visible may not evoke as strong a public reaction as more valuable ‘public’ property or graffiti upon an individual’s ‘private’ property.

-          Less valuable ‘public’ property may not be a deterrent to stop individuals graffiti-ing, knowing that public ignorance will be the result.

Evaluation

The focus of this project was on the use of graffiti and its functions in society and discussing the different sociological reasons and uses of graffiti. I found this subject to be particularly pertinent as it can be said that everyone has experienced graffiti in some form or another, whether as a bystander to someone else's graffiti or being someone actively involved in graffiti-ing themselves. A 'Grounded Theory' approach was attempted in conducting this research. Maintaining the clarity of the research had the potential to prove challenging as I have some previous knowledge concerning the underlying causes of criminality and deviance in other areas which may have had some relevance in this research.  Despite this, I remained in my attempt to maintain objectivity and to choose to use the images as my primary focus for extracting any trends. A stratified sampling technique was utilised. The aim of this stratified sampling technique was to focus upon the different geographical areas of Glenrothes in a bid to understand the various uses of graffiti and the relevance of the graffiti in each setting. 


 

Of the images featured in this project, a number of themes and discourses have become apparent. Interestingly, these themes can be linked with other aspects of the image, such as the type of graffiti and the location of the graffiti in the images. Many of the images were taken in the relatively disadvantaged areas of Glenrothes in comparison with other areas of the town - suggesting a poverty discourse. Merton's (1968) concept of anomie reflects this observation, citing an individual's failure to attain the 'value consensus' of their society through a lack of opportunity within the social structure. As such, a criminal lifestyle may be seen as the only viable option. It is, however, incorrect to assume that this act only occurs in disadvantaged areas, as a number of images were taken in more prosperous areas and in public areas, such as the Kingdom Shopping Centre.

Some pieces of graffiti are also prime examples of exhibiting masculine traits (Connell 1995; Messerschmidt 1993). Graffiti carried out by individuals or gangs bearing a name or slogan can often be used as a way of proving they are tough or cool. Gangs, in particular, may use this form of crime as a way of initiation into the gang. Masculine traits don't limit this act to males: females can also exhibit masculine traits through crime (Batchelor 2001; Batchelor, Burman & Brown 2001). The use of graffiti by gangs or individuals as a way of marking territory is also apparent. Pieces of graffiti featured in this project which seemingly have no structure or purpose can be just as effective in providing a sense of identity to the individual or group (Staiger 2005) as a piece which show a person's name or gang name.

Boundaries between what is deemed graffiti and what is graffiti "art" were also established with images gathered. The discourse of which graffiti is or isn't perceived as criminal could also be found within the project images. Graffiti "art", such as the community murals, which are organised pieces upon walls isn't deemed criminal due to it's official organisation by community and  governmental bodies; whereas an individual graffiti-ing upon walls or upon these murals would be deemed criminal. While many local and national authorities may take a zero-tolerance stance upon graffiti (Young 2010), graffiti may not be seen as a form of crime in some subcultures, such as the images of the skate park which has extensive graffiti in it. Another interesting area was the existence of a property discourse, defining what is "public" and what is "private" and how different properties may evoke different resposes from graffiti-ing individuals concerning the potential consequences of graffiti-ing a particular property. The existence of sets of rules within the "tagging" subculture was previously established in the project.

My experiences of this project were positive. The visual methodology of this project worked well. Due to the content of this project, using a visual methodology was the most beneficial way of conducting research and demonstrating different aspects of graffit-ing - which itself is a highly visual method of communication and expression. Although I was able to find various types of graffiti to illustrate various discourses using a stratified sampling technique, there were many other examples of graffiti outside of Glenrothes that I would've liked to have used but was not possible, due to my research proposal outlining a specific focus upon the town of Glenrothes. Additionally, due to the public location of graffiti, I often had to contend with the general public interfering in the taking of my pictures - although this was not a major issue. Nevertheless, this project examining the sociological reasoning and usage of graffiti was very interesting and worthwhile to conduct.

Word Count: 797

References

Batchelor, S. (2001) 'The myth of girl gangs'. Criminal Justice Matters 43(1), 26-27

Batchelor, S., Burman, M., Brown, J. (2001) 'Discussing Violence: Let's Hear it From the Girls'. Probation Journal 48(6), 125-134

Connell, R. W. (1995) Masculinities. Cambridge: Polity Press

Merton, R. K. (1968) Social Theory and Social Structure. New York, NY: The Free Press

Messerschmidt, J. M. (1993) Masculinities and Crime: Critique and Reconceptualization of Theory. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield

Staiger, A. (2005) 'School Walls as Battle Grounds: Technologies of Power, Space and Identity'. Paedagogica Historica 41(4-5), 555-569

Young, A. (2010) 'Negotiated consent or zero tolerance? Responding to graffiti and street art in Melbourne'. City 14(1-2), 99-114

Photographic Display (with text): Analysis

This graffiti seems to lack any form of organisation or thought input - appearing to be more spontaneous in its execution. On first glance, it may not symbolise anything specific, i.e. a name or a “tag”. It appears to have been created simply to be deviant. The fact that it is on the ‘public’ side of the fence, rather than the private side, perhaps represents more encouragement to graffiti as it ‘technically’ belongs to no one. It can also be seen by others on this ‘public’ side as perhaps a marking of territory or a form of status between other delinquents.

                                     

This idea of ‘public’ and ‘private’ could also be applied to these buildings. The block of flats (left) doesn’t necessarily belong to an individual, so no thoughts of potential ‘private’ property may occur. The house (below right) does belong to a single individual. It is a ‘private’ property, but has still experienced graffiti. Therefore, the idea of ‘public’ and ‘private’ may not be relevant.

 

The nature of the graffiti also differs. These seem more thorough and premeditated. The individual has taken more time planning the graffiti, as well as executing it. This graffiti, which is displaying a name, is more likely to be used as a territorial symbol.

Forms of community art and murals are also subject to graffiti. These effectively fill the space on walls not only to promote community togetherness expressed through art, but to perhaps deter individuals from taking part in any graffiti exercises. There are, however, still visible images of graffiti upon these murals – perhaps showing an ineffectiveness of these murals, but also a willingness for individuals to deface other wall visuals to demonstrate their own graffiti handiwork.

These images also document the use of graffiti in displaying territory. The very public nature of this graffiti upon a wall (right) and in a bus shelter (left), both in very bold lettering, aims to establish territorial boundaries between local gangs.

Photographic Display (with text)

Delinquency 

As an act of delinquency, graffiti is very common. Not only because it is easy for an individual to gain access to materials and find a suitable ‘canvas’, but also because – if unseen – it is an act that may not bring about any repercussions, The potential reasons behind these acts are various. Delinquent and anti-social behaviour, in the 50s and 60s, was analysed in relation to an individual’s environment or social class (Humphries 1995: 19). Present day, while this approach may have some relevance (as many of these graffiti were either found in the more disadvantaged areas of Glenrothes, such as Macedonia, or areas where there is an opportunity for juvenile delinquency to occur - for instance, at a school bus-stop or in an area where there is a large juvenile population), subcultural aspects could also be addressed (Cajetan Luna 1987). The skateboarding community, for example, is associated with graffiti in designing their boards. The surrounding area of the skate ramps also included a lot of graffiti, such as drug paraphernalia and skater slogans: "Go Big or Go Home". Graffiti in this environment may not be considered as a deviant act. Graffiti-ing in underpasses and upon buildings which are of little social value to the community, such as abandoned blocks of flats, may also be seen - by the community also - as not being of a delinquent nature.

“Tagging”

There is little doubt that graffiti "tags" are common occurrences - whether it is a child doodling upon their jotters or grinding their initials into a desk at school, or an individual painting or drawing upon public grounds. The use of spray paint in tagging is perceived in a sexual manner, with Othen-Price (2006: 6) describing the use of graffiti by young males as a means of exploring their newly discovered potency while progressing through puberty. This creativity in males is seen as compensation for a female's biological creativity, i.e. becoming pregnant. A number of these photographs display basic tags, such as an individual's name, without any 'criminal' associations. Other pictures display tags used in this manner, particularly by local youth gangs, often using acronyms of gang names - perhaps for territorial means. "Tagging", however, is seen as a literacy act and a subculture with its own sets of rules, using different styles of lettering and colours. This form of tagging is separate from the use of graffiti by gangs (MacGillvray & Curwen 2007).

Graffiti “Art”

This type of graffiti, often known as ‘street art’, is a seen as a reflection of society. As the world changes around us, these pieces of graffiti remain as cultural remnants of by-gone periods, becoming a continuous commentary that evolves with the times (Manco 2010: 8). Many of these murals photographed were created for a purpose: perhaps as a community project; to provide a sense of identity to the area; or maybe just to provide a certain appeal, for example, the use of graffiti around Glenwood Library includes numerous cartoon characters to appeal to young children.

References:

Cajetan Luna, G. (1987) 'Welcome To My Nightmare'. Society 24(6), 73-78

Humphries, S. (1995) Hooligans or Rebels? An Oral History of Working-Class Childhood and Youth 1889-1939. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing

MacGillvray, L., Curwen, M. S. (2007) 'Tagging as a social literacy practice'. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy 50(5), 354-369

Manco, T. (2010) Street Sketchbook Journeys. United Kingdom: Thames & Hudson Ltd

Othen-Price, L. (2006) 'Making their mark: A psychodynamic view of adolescent graffiti writing'. Psychodynamic Practice 12(1), 5-17

Special Mention

Sadly, this piece of graffiti is too inappropriate for my project. So here it is in a special slot!

Task 5a (for April 27th)

This chapter aims to distinguish between the 3 different photographic genres: Visual Sociology – the use of images to establish or support sociological theory; Documentary Photography – which “was tied, historically, to both exploration and social reform” (Becker 1998: 76); and Photojournalism – the production of images for forms of journalism, such as magazines and newspapers. The idea of ‘context’ is also discussed and analysed.

Context provides an image with a meaning (Becker 1998: 77), grouping the image within a specific genre or subject area, either describing the image in detail for the reader or leaving it to the reader’s interpretations, with photography being described as "a technology of visualization that both draws on and establishes a visual economy through which events and issues are materialized in particular ways" (Campbell 2009). Becker further discusses context by analysing the versatility of photographs in one context if that photograph were to be applied to another in the sub-chapters, Reading a documentary picture as visual sociology or photojournalism, Reading a sociological picture as journalism and as documentary and Reading a journalistic picture as visual sociology and as documentary.

Becker discusses how these initial images would differ in the perspective of the different genres, but also, in applying an image to other contexts, different methods should be applied. Journalistic images require simplicity for their readers (Becker 1998:  75-76), a title which states the content of the image in addition to the image, itself, being clear for the reader, not only to aid the reader but to also validate the point of the image (Becker 1998: 80). An image from the other genres can be transmitted to this context if these methods are applied. Illustrations of the topic for which the image is being used, such as homelessness (Becker 1998: 82), would find meaning in media stereotypes, unlike visual sociological contexts which have clearer meanings because of the amount of time and research conducted in comparison with an image being used for a headline.

A sociological image, usually with a description or small descriptive passage (‘explicit’ context), will provide its reader with information concerning the setting of the image, who is in it, what is happening and what the overall image aims to show – documentary images without such detailed passages (more ‘implicit’) would be used in this way. Journalistic images, such as the image of Richard Nixon leaving the White House following the Watergate scandal (Becker 1998: 83), could perhaps pose questions into media fascination of Nixon – amongst other potential sociological subject areas.

Documentary images are taken as part of a larger project, analysing a particular subject area through a number of different images. The documentary image example, showing the backs of 2 smartly-dressed men, is not a clear in what it is trying to show. Within this context, the imagery in this picture could be used to convey a message or statement - this particular one as a political statement (Becker 1998: 79-80). This context could be used against an image of either of the others. Journalistic images of various points in history are frequently turned into documentaries, re-telling the story of that event and analysing it further. Documentaries into the assassination of JFK and the Friedmans child abuse case are among many to have been converted into documentaries – the ‘Capturing the Friedmans’ documentary (Jarecki 2003) made use of home video footage and family photographs.

Becker’s chapter Visual Sociology, Documentary Photography, and Photojournalism: It’s (Almost) All a Matter of Context is effective in establishing not just the differences between the Visual Sociology, Documentary Photography and Photojournalism genres, but in also establishing the theory of context and how each genre has their own specific context. Furthermore, Becker determines that different contexts can be applied to images from each genre, offering a different perspective and allowing for further, more detailed, information to be demonstrated.


References:

Becker, H. S. (1998) 'Visual Sociology, Documentary Photography, and Photojournalism: It’s (Almost) All a Matter of Context'. In Image-based Research: A Sourcebook for Qualitative Researchers. ed. by Prosser, J. London: Routledge Falmer, 74-85

Campbell, D. (2009) '“Black Skin and Blood”: Documentary Photography and Santu Mofokeng’s Critique of the Visualization of Apartheid South Africa'. History and Theory 48(4), 52-58

Jarecki, A. (2003) Capturing the Friedmans. [DVD] USA: HBO Documentary Films

Research Plan: Sociological Reasoning and Usage of Graffiti

1.       Brief:

The focus of this project will be on the use of graffiti and its functions in society. Graffiti can be categorised into different types, for example, organised graffiti art, such as murals painted upon public walls; graffiti “tags” – examples of this can include political slogans, sport-related graffiti, or acronyms associated with youth gangs, perhaps used to display gang territories or as a type of recognition system so gang members can identify each other; and graffiti of a delinquent nature, namely, vandalism in public places and sites. These include park benches, bus shelters and public monuments/statuettes.

My aim in this project is to discuss graffiti and the different sociological reasons and uses of graffiti. Ideas such as expressionism, using graffiti as a means of conveying a political or sociological message, or as a form of social identification within their local community and wider society, shall all be examined. Potential reasons for the use of graffiti in this manner shall also be discussed.

2.       Methodological Considerations:

Various articles and books looking at the use of graffiti, as well as articles focusing upon aspects of youth crime, shall be utilised as methods of analysing the use of graffiti in society. The pictures which shall be taken will be examined against various sociological and criminological theories. The results of my findings will be posted on my blog.

3.       Equipment Needs:

The equipment which will primarily be needed is a digital camera to take pictures of the various forms of graffiti.

4.       Sample Considerations:

A sampling of the various types of graffiti will be selected from different areas in the town of Glenrothes, Fife. A stratified sampling technique shall be utilised, in particular, looking at the different graffiti types across numerous geographical areas in Glenrothes, including housing areas across town such as Macedonia, South Parks, Rimbleton and Pitteuchar. Central - more public areas - shall also be examined, such as Riverside Park and the area surrounding the Kingdom Centre. This sampling technique shall aim to understand the various uses of graffiti and the relevance of the setting of the graffiti.

5.       Ethics Issues to be considered:

No major ethical issues will need to be considered in conducting this project. It is, however,  important to ensure that a selection of graffiti photographs are taken over a wide area to provide a useful spread of data to fulfill this project's objective.

6.       Restraints & Issues Expected:  

No major restraints or issues are to be expected in conducting this project.