Gender and Adolescent Graffiti

• Main Authors: YANG,PEI-YEH, 楊佩燁
• Other Authors: Dr.JOU,SU-SYAN
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2006
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/08162961609633318309

碩士 === 國立臺北大學 === 犯罪學研究所 === 95 === Many young people who undertake the act of graffiti see themselves as ‘street writers’. They emphasize individual characteristics which comprises distinctive graffiti work, arguing that it is counter-cultural - attacking to social system. However, what accounts for the current popularity of graffiti? What are the underlying motivations? Teenagers’ graffiti is often officially regarded as a sore on the cityscape or a product of deviant behavior. Therefore, the government puts more effort in cracking down and cleaning up – as opposed to analyzing and understanding the behavior. Public attitudes also tend to be negative. Is graffiti a kind of deviant behavior? Or does it have a richer cultural aspect? Is it a ‘social problem’? Does it have the same significance and motivation for both males and females? All of these questions are worthy of deeper discussion. This research adopted an exploratory qualitative approach, using MSN messenger to interview five male and two female young graffiti artists. Interviews are focused on the interactions between the artists and the society, the interactions within their graffiti groups, and the styles and content of the graffiti. The findings are: (1) males tend to gain recognition and reputation while girls tend to express their feelings. However, both genders’ graffiti are influenced by peer groups. (2). Males usually choose the city center as a graffiti zone, while females choose quieter and more secure areas. In the meantime, males draw graffiti to announce self-existence while girls draw cute graffiti for sheer ‘creativity’ (3). Females are fewer than boys in the members of the group and time spent drawing. There are more risks in graffiti for females, in terms of safety. Females have less interaction with their graffiti groups than males. When facing graffiti competitions and conflicts, females can resolve them more sensibly. (4) Males and females have different strain sources and responses which in turn reflect their motives, graffiti content, choice of location and time of action. This research suggests that, rather than resisting it, society might seek to integrate the graffiti into the mainstream culture, acknowledge graffiti subculture, and understand the teenagers’ subculture via their graffiti work. The government and the public can generate more community resources to recognize graffiti activities and provide the youngsters a safer and more legitimate space to perform graffiti, especially for females. Keyword：graffiti, adolescent deviance, adolescent subculture.