This is Our Place: An Ethnographic Study on the Reclamation of Public Urban Spaces by Young Skateboarders across European Cities

Autores/as

  • Emilia Stroschein Maastricht University
  • Jule Frank Maastricht University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15273/jue.v16i1.12761

Resumen

Contemporary cities are complex hotspots of people with different interests. Especially in times of rapid urbanisation, cities
can be sites of conflict over the use of the scarce urban space, as well as sites of resistance to assert claims on said space. This ethnographic research accompanies young skateboarders (aged 18-28) across various European cities and towns, including
Madrid, Berlin, Paris, Dortmund, Maastricht, Heerlen, Freising, and Radolfzell. Using auto-photography and interviews, their
experiences with and reactions to conflicts in different urban places are explored. The study finds that participants show a general desire to avoid conflict. Yet, when being excluded from public urban spaces, they feel they have a right to defend their
access. In their claim on using public urban spaces for sport, the skateboarders fall back on a variety of means of resistance and
formally or informally protest urban policy. This study is an exploration of how Henri Lefebvre’s right to the city manifests in
the praxis of modern urban life and provides a much-needed platform for young people to communicate their demands for more inclusive urban policy.

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Publicado

2026-03-17

Número

Vol. 16 Núm. 1 (2026)

Sección

Articles

Licencia

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