Skateboarding has become a world-wide phenomenon that has the ability to fit into any culture. Iceland supports a healthy, vibrant skateboard culture. The city itself is young and undergoing many changes presently that have both positive and negative effects on the skateboard community. These redevelopment projects have an impact on the skateboarders' identities because they are formed out of occupied spaces. Qualitative methods such as participant observation were used to explore Reykjavik's skateboard culture. Understanding how skateboarders feel about public spaces can help in understanding how these spaces can be used to improve the city. Some of the most important skatespots in Reykjavik are Ingolfstorg and Harpa, both of which are part of redevelopment projects. Having access to this type of high quality public space has provided a setting for the development of a healthy skateboard community.

The growth in popularity of extreme sports, such as skateboarding skating, has posed a problem with public space usage. Currently, of adequate facilities for skaters to practice and the skaters are of public space.This study examines the popularity of skating and the issues that sport, such as safety and liability. Three case studies were analyzed. A set of general guidelines were created using data from some of the field’s notable designers.These guidelines were then used, by the author, to design a skatepark within an existing park in Muncie, Indiana. As a result, a skatepark design and park masterplan, that addresses park cohesiveness, were produced. / Department of Landscape Architecture

Thesis (M.S. Ed.)--Northern Illinois University, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

No description available.

The numerous youth subcultures to emerge since the end of World War Two act as what I call “biopolitical cultural apparatuses” that help subjects navigate the discontinuity in values, labour, and material expectations between the Fordist and neoliberal formations. As such, subcultures play a socializing role, helping subjects adapt to an increasingly precarious and austere social sphere; but they also generate new forms of community, and new experiences of personal and collective agency that can contribute to significant social transformation. Responding to the contemporary body of “post-subcultural” studies, I combine Giorgio Agamben’s analysis of biopolitics and Slavoj Žižek’s treatment of the Lacanian symptom to frame a theory that can highlight the politically progressive elements of subculture, while at the same time acknowledging their complicity with elements of the cultural dominant. Complementing Dick Hebdige’s theory of the incorporation processes to which subcultures are subjected, I offer spatial-temporal incorporation as a predominant way in which subcultural difference is recuperated by patriarchal and capitalist structures. At the same time, the heterotopic spaces subcultures produce enable new solidarities and friendships to develop, and can offer important experiences of alterity within the fluid and individualized regulative structures of late capitalism. I investigate these dynamics through a focus on skateboarding as a subculture that is particularly representative of the kinds of control structures faced by contemporary, Western subjects. My dissertation concludes with a detailed case study of the struggles of skateboarders to maintain and preserve an aging skateboard park in Beasley, a downtown neighbourhood of Hamilton, Ontario. Hamilton’s project to re-brand itself as a post-industrial “hub” for the “creative economy” places the skateboarders in the position of having to manage their (sub)cultural capital in a new way, as developers attempt to gentrify the neighbourhood. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / This thesis describes contemporary subcultures as helping subjects navigate the shift from a Fordist to neoliberal society. A combination of Marxian theories about contemporary capitalism, Giorgio Agamben's theories of the apparatus, bare life and the friend, and Jacques Lacan's theories of the symptom are used to understand subcultures as both responding to this shift in values and institutions, and possibly providing forms of community and agency that anticipate a post-capitalist world. A particular focus on skateboarding and the extreme sports industry illustrates these theories. Specific chapters detail the extreme sports industry, the nascent street skateboarding culture in northern Ontario town of Barrie in the nineteen eighties, and the history of Beasley Skateboard Park in downtown Hamilton, Ontario.

This dissertation examines: (a) the discourses of femininity circulating on a female skateboarding blog produced by the Skirtboarders (a group of women skateboarders based in Montréal, Canada); (b) the ways in which the Skirtboarders use Internet blogging (which I label “community media”) to contest (sexist) dominant discursive constructions of sportswomen deployed in mainstream and alternative media; and (c) the ways in which users read and make sense of the Skirtboarders’ blog. For this project, I collected 262 blog posts, including 1128 associated comments, conducted semi-structured interviews with eight Skirtboarders and four users of the blog and incorporated some observational notes. This information was then subjected to discourse analysis informed by the theoretical perspectives of Michel Foucault. This research makes a significant contribution to a growing body of literature in the sociology of sport exploring media (re)presentations of bodies, especially women’s bodies, and lifestyle sports because it is one of the rare studies that goes beyond doing an analysis of media texts – it also uncovers the intentions of the producers of the texts and, in addition, examines the effects of the media discourses for audiences (herein referred to as users). My findings reveal that the Skirtboarders offer something different than mainstream and alternative skateboarding media (re)presentations (i.e., I examined what narratives the Skirtboarders produce about themselves to understand how they appropriate, accommodate or resist gender discourses). The women who produced the blog consciously and purposely challenged dominant discursive fragments. Although users considered the blog inspirational for promoting female skateboarding, they had diverse readings of the Skirtboarders’ attempts to reflexively start a “movement” and, in doing so, construct and circulate a collective identity. I therefore suggest that the Skirtboarders’ blog is one of many political tools and strategies required to change the landscape of the global female skateboarding world. Ultimately, I argue that the Internet is a space where women can have access to predominantly masculine sport and create more fluid definitions of sporting femininity. It provides women with opportunities to control their own (re)presentations, which will challenge male dominated institutions such as mainstream and alternative media organizations. / Cette dissertation étudie : a) les discours sur la féminité qui circulent sur le blogue des Skirtboarders (un groupe de femmes planchistes de Montréal, Canada); b) comment les Skirtboarders utilisent le blogue (que je nomme « média communautaire ») pour contester les discours dominants (sexistes) sur le corps sportif féminin déployées dans le mass média et les média alternatifs; et c) comment les utilisatrices interprètent et accordent un sens au blogue des Skirtboarders. Pour ce projet : j’ai recueillis 262 articles de forum sur le blogue, incluant les 1128 commentaires; effectué des entrevues semi-dirigées avec huit Skirtboarders et quatre utilisatrices du blogue; incorporé des notes d’observation. Ces informations ont ensuite été soumises à une analyse du discours inspirée de la perspective théorique de Michel Foucault. Cette recherche apporte une contribution importante à une littérature croissante en sociologie du sport explorant les (re)présentations du corps, spécialement les corps féminins, et les sports alternatifs; car il s’agit d’une des rares études qui s’aventure au-delà de l’analyse des textes médiatiques. Elle porte aussi sur les intentions des productrices des textes et examine en plus les effets des discours médiatiques sur l’auditoire (c’est-à-dire les utilisatrices). Mes résultats révèlent que les Skirtboarders offrent un contenu qui diffère des (re)présentations du skateboarding dans le mass média et les média alternatifs (par ex., j’ai examiné quels récits les Skirtboarders produisent à propos d’elles-mêmes pour comprendre comment elles s’approprient, s’accommodent ou résistent aux discours sur le genre). Les femmes qui produisent le blogue contestent consciemment et délibérément les fragments discursifs dominants. Quoique les utilisatrices considèrent le blogue inspirant pour la promotion du skateboarding auprès des femmes, elles offrent diverses lectures de la tentative réflexive des Skirtboarders d’initier un «mouvement » et, en ce faisant, de construire et de propager une identité collective. Je suggère donc que le blogue des Skirtboarders est un parmi plusieurs outils politiques et stratégiques requis pour changer le paysage de la scène mondiale des femmes planchistes. Ultimement, j’avance que l’Internet est un espace où les femmes peuvent avoir accès au sport dominé par les hommes et créer des définitions fluides de la féminité sportive. L’Internet offre des occasions aux femmes de contrôler leurs propres (re)présentations, lesquelles contesteront les institutions majoritairement masculines telles que les organisations de mass média et de média alternatifs.

This dissertation examines: (a) the discourses of femininity circulating on a female skateboarding blog produced by the Skirtboarders (a group of women skateboarders based in Montréal, Canada); (b) the ways in which the Skirtboarders use Internet blogging (which I label “community media”) to contest (sexist) dominant discursive constructions of sportswomen deployed in mainstream and alternative media; and (c) the ways in which users read and make sense of the Skirtboarders’ blog. For this project, I collected 262 blog posts, including 1128 associated comments, conducted semi-structured interviews with eight Skirtboarders and four users of the blog and incorporated some observational notes. This information was then subjected to discourse analysis informed by the theoretical perspectives of Michel Foucault. This research makes a significant contribution to a growing body of literature in the sociology of sport exploring media (re)presentations of bodies, especially women’s bodies, and lifestyle sports because it is one of the rare studies that goes beyond doing an analysis of media texts – it also uncovers the intentions of the producers of the texts and, in addition, examines the effects of the media discourses for audiences (herein referred to as users). My findings reveal that the Skirtboarders offer something different than mainstream and alternative skateboarding media (re)presentations (i.e., I examined what narratives the Skirtboarders produce about themselves to understand how they appropriate, accommodate or resist gender discourses). The women who produced the blog consciously and purposely challenged dominant discursive fragments. Although users considered the blog inspirational for promoting female skateboarding, they had diverse readings of the Skirtboarders’ attempts to reflexively start a “movement” and, in doing so, construct and circulate a collective identity. I therefore suggest that the Skirtboarders’ blog is one of many political tools and strategies required to change the landscape of the global female skateboarding world. Ultimately, I argue that the Internet is a space where women can have access to predominantly masculine sport and create more fluid definitions of sporting femininity. It provides women with opportunities to control their own (re)presentations, which will challenge male dominated institutions such as mainstream and alternative media organizations. / Cette dissertation étudie : a) les discours sur la féminité qui circulent sur le blogue des Skirtboarders (un groupe de femmes planchistes de Montréal, Canada); b) comment les Skirtboarders utilisent le blogue (que je nomme « média communautaire ») pour contester les discours dominants (sexistes) sur le corps sportif féminin déployées dans le mass média et les média alternatifs; et c) comment les utilisatrices interprètent et accordent un sens au blogue des Skirtboarders. Pour ce projet : j’ai recueillis 262 articles de forum sur le blogue, incluant les 1128 commentaires; effectué des entrevues semi-dirigées avec huit Skirtboarders et quatre utilisatrices du blogue; incorporé des notes d’observation. Ces informations ont ensuite été soumises à une analyse du discours inspirée de la perspective théorique de Michel Foucault. Cette recherche apporte une contribution importante à une littérature croissante en sociologie du sport explorant les (re)présentations du corps, spécialement les corps féminins, et les sports alternatifs; car il s’agit d’une des rares études qui s’aventure au-delà de l’analyse des textes médiatiques. Elle porte aussi sur les intentions des productrices des textes et examine en plus les effets des discours médiatiques sur l’auditoire (c’est-à-dire les utilisatrices). Mes résultats révèlent que les Skirtboarders offrent un contenu qui diffère des (re)présentations du skateboarding dans le mass média et les média alternatifs (par ex., j’ai examiné quels récits les Skirtboarders produisent à propos d’elles-mêmes pour comprendre comment elles s’approprient, s’accommodent ou résistent aux discours sur le genre). Les femmes qui produisent le blogue contestent consciemment et délibérément les fragments discursifs dominants. Quoique les utilisatrices considèrent le blogue inspirant pour la promotion du skateboarding auprès des femmes, elles offrent diverses lectures de la tentative réflexive des Skirtboarders d’initier un «mouvement » et, en ce faisant, de construire et de propager une identité collective. Je suggère donc que le blogue des Skirtboarders est un parmi plusieurs outils politiques et stratégiques requis pour changer le paysage de la scène mondiale des femmes planchistes. Ultimement, j’avance que l’Internet est un espace où les femmes peuvent avoir accès au sport dominé par les hommes et créer des définitions fluides de la féminité sportive. L’Internet offre des occasions aux femmes de contrôler leurs propres (re)présentations, lesquelles contesteront les institutions majoritairement masculines telles que les organisations de mass média et de média alternatifs.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 295-307).

This dissertation examines: (a) the discourses of femininity circulating on a female skateboarding blog produced by the Skirtboarders (a group of women skateboarders based in Montréal, Canada); (b) the ways in which the Skirtboarders use Internet blogging (which I label “community media”) to contest (sexist) dominant discursive constructions of sportswomen deployed in mainstream and alternative media; and (c) the ways in which users read and make sense of the Skirtboarders’ blog. For this project, I collected 262 blog posts, including 1128 associated comments, conducted semi-structured interviews with eight Skirtboarders and four users of the blog and incorporated some observational notes. This information was then subjected to discourse analysis informed by the theoretical perspectives of Michel Foucault. This research makes a significant contribution to a growing body of literature in the sociology of sport exploring media (re)presentations of bodies, especially women’s bodies, and lifestyle sports because it is one of the rare studies that goes beyond doing an analysis of media texts – it also uncovers the intentions of the producers of the texts and, in addition, examines the effects of the media discourses for audiences (herein referred to as users). My findings reveal that the Skirtboarders offer something different than mainstream and alternative skateboarding media (re)presentations (i.e., I examined what narratives the Skirtboarders produce about themselves to understand how they appropriate, accommodate or resist gender discourses). The women who produced the blog consciously and purposely challenged dominant discursive fragments. Although users considered the blog inspirational for promoting female skateboarding, they had diverse readings of the Skirtboarders’ attempts to reflexively start a “movement” and, in doing so, construct and circulate a collective identity. I therefore suggest that the Skirtboarders’ blog is one of many political tools and strategies required to change the landscape of the global female skateboarding world. Ultimately, I argue that the Internet is a space where women can have access to predominantly masculine sport and create more fluid definitions of sporting femininity. It provides women with opportunities to control their own (re)presentations, which will challenge male dominated institutions such as mainstream and alternative media organizations. / Cette dissertation étudie : a) les discours sur la féminité qui circulent sur le blogue des Skirtboarders (un groupe de femmes planchistes de Montréal, Canada); b) comment les Skirtboarders utilisent le blogue (que je nomme « média communautaire ») pour contester les discours dominants (sexistes) sur le corps sportif féminin déployées dans le mass média et les média alternatifs; et c) comment les utilisatrices interprètent et accordent un sens au blogue des Skirtboarders. Pour ce projet : j’ai recueillis 262 articles de forum sur le blogue, incluant les 1128 commentaires; effectué des entrevues semi-dirigées avec huit Skirtboarders et quatre utilisatrices du blogue; incorporé des notes d’observation. Ces informations ont ensuite été soumises à une analyse du discours inspirée de la perspective théorique de Michel Foucault. Cette recherche apporte une contribution importante à une littérature croissante en sociologie du sport explorant les (re)présentations du corps, spécialement les corps féminins, et les sports alternatifs; car il s’agit d’une des rares études qui s’aventure au-delà de l’analyse des textes médiatiques. Elle porte aussi sur les intentions des productrices des textes et examine en plus les effets des discours médiatiques sur l’auditoire (c’est-à-dire les utilisatrices). Mes résultats révèlent que les Skirtboarders offrent un contenu qui diffère des (re)présentations du skateboarding dans le mass média et les média alternatifs (par ex., j’ai examiné quels récits les Skirtboarders produisent à propos d’elles-mêmes pour comprendre comment elles s’approprient, s’accommodent ou résistent aux discours sur le genre). Les femmes qui produisent le blogue contestent consciemment et délibérément les fragments discursifs dominants. Quoique les utilisatrices considèrent le blogue inspirant pour la promotion du skateboarding auprès des femmes, elles offrent diverses lectures de la tentative réflexive des Skirtboarders d’initier un «mouvement » et, en ce faisant, de construire et de propager une identité collective. Je suggère donc que le blogue des Skirtboarders est un parmi plusieurs outils politiques et stratégiques requis pour changer le paysage de la scène mondiale des femmes planchistes. Ultimement, j’avance que l’Internet est un espace où les femmes peuvent avoir accès au sport dominé par les hommes et créer des définitions fluides de la féminité sportive. L’Internet offre des occasions aux femmes de contrôler leurs propres (re)présentations, lesquelles contesteront les institutions majoritairement masculines telles que les organisations de mass média et de média alternatifs.

El skateboarding es un deporte con mucha acogida en nuestro país, que se practica con un skateboard, preferentemente sobre una superficie plana, en cualquier lugar donde se pueda rodar, como escaleras, la calle, parques o skateparks, haciendo algún truco, pirueta, salto o simplemente deslizándose por las calles. En la actualidad son los skateparks los lugares preferidos para los practicantes de este deporte, los cuales empiezan a aparecer en el Perú debido al apoyo que las municipalidades les están brindando a estos nuevos deportistas. Los motivos que llevan a la práctica de este deporte son: el mantener una buena forma física, pasar tiempo con los amigos y relajarse; asimismo utilizan el skateboard como medio de transporte. Este es un deporte en el cual la indumentaria y accesorios juegan un papel muy importante, es por eso que existe toda una industria que se ocupa de vender diversos tipos de productos y promover su look skater, como los skateshops, los cuales se encuentran en crecimiento ante el aumento de la popularidad del skateboarding. El propósito inicial de este proyecto fue el de buscar y entender las necesidades y carencias que existen en este deporte. Se observa como la imagen del skater se está valorando y aceptando como un grupo potencial para el desarrollo de toda una industria dirigida a ellos y de acuerdo a eso poner en marcha el desarrollo y elaboración de un producto funcional, que brinde una solución práctica e innovadora para skaters, logrando un bien valorado que supere las expectativas de este perfil de consumidor y que puedan satisfacer sus necesidades. Con la finalidad de cumplir con nuestra propuesta de valor, Xtreme Land ha diseñado un protector hecho en base a cuero, el cual permita prolongar más la vida útil de las zapatillas, uno de los accesorios más críticos entre el patinador y la tabla, las cuales se deterioran debido al contacto con la lija del skate y la exigencia de su uso al realizar los trucos y asimismo nuestro producto contará con un diseño funcional, eficiente y facilidad de uso. / Skateboarding is a very popular sport in our country, practiced with a skateboard, preferably on a flat surface, anywhere you can roll such as stairs, streets, parks or skate parks, doing some trick, jump or just gliding through the streets. Currently skate parks are the preferred places for lovers of this sport, which began to appear in Peru due to the support that municipalities have been providing for these new athletes. The reasons that lead to the practice of this sport are: keeping a good physical shape, spending time with friends and relax. They also use the skateboard as a means of transportation. This is a sport in which clothing and accessories play a very important role that is why there is an entire industry that deals with selling various types of products and promoting their skater look such as skateshops, which are growing thanks to the increasing popularity of skateboarding. The initial purpose of this project was to seek and understand the needs and shortcomings that exist in this sport. It is observed how the image of the skateboarder is being valued and accepted as a potential group for the development of an entire industry aimed at them and start up the development and elaboration of a functional product, that provides a practical and innovative solution for skaters, achieving a well-valued that exceeds the expectations of this consumer profile and that can meet their needs. In order to comply with our value proposition, Xtreme Land has designed a protector made of leather which allows longer life of the shoes, one of the most critical accessories between the skater and the board which they deteriorate due to contact with the sandpaper of the skate and the requirement of its use when performing the tricks. Also our product will have a functional design, efficient and easy to use. / Trabajo de investigación