Abstract:
This interdisciplinary study between social work and criminology examines in an empirical approach and in this respect the first time in German language, the characteristic of Basque political graffiti and its role in a conflict-ridden society. In its initial question, the present study explores the importance of the communication medium graffiti as an information source for the social area analysis in conflict regions.
As a basis for further reflection and as a comparison with the general knowledge about (political) graffiti several examples of those graffiti in the Basque Country (N = 186) are evaluated in a quantitative analysis in terms of style, location and content. Furthermore, a recurrent exemplar is checked for changes and similarities through Mayring’s content analysis, serving as a sample procedure.
Embedded is the analysis of this specific type in the superordinate discourse on graffiti research. Here, a specially for this purpose developed methodology for the rarely applied quantitatively oriented data collection in the field of graffiti research as well as of art or subcultural information and communication systems in the public space is presented.
As a result, on the one hand can be shown that the consideration of political graffiti as a source of information – for example, for social and educational intervention approaches in conflict regions – both in terms of labor and time involved and the resulting quantitative and qualitative gains on hints are of noteworthy value. On the other hand this work shows the necessary foundation and tools that need to exist for the practical and systematic use of political graffiti as a source of information.