Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
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Based on ten weeks of ethnographic fieldwork, I have conducted participation observation to understand how the rollerblading crew Careen from New York City navigate public space, to understand how...Show moreBased on ten weeks of ethnographic fieldwork, I have conducted participation observation to understand how the rollerblading crew Careen from New York City navigate public space, to understand how their participation in this group and sport builds a sense of community. I have always been fascinated with rollerblading and noticed a gap on this sport in the social sciences on how these participants engage in public spaces. Public spaces are everyday spaces like plazas, streets, sidewalks, and parks that provide opportunities for socialization and leisure activities. During my research, I lived with my interlocutors, went on skate sessions in the city and watched them make a seasonal skate video. As for my methodologies, I conducted participation observation, semi-structured interviews, informal conversation, filming, mapping, and photography. In this thesis, I argue that Careen’s embodied practices in rollerblading is a form of resistance to neoliberal spaces. I explore how Careen’s engagement in public spaces through rollerblading and filming shapes an inclusive rollerblading crew by understanding how they reappropriate and share public space and their creative direction in making skate videos. This thesis will discuss the theoretical concepts: skilled vision, place-attachment, and community, how I used my methodologies, and my findings.Show less
