Craftivism and Yarn Bombing: A Criminological Exploration (Critical Criminological Perspectives)

This book explores the use of handmade crafts as a vehicle for protest. Craftivism has experienced a resurgence in recent years, often in direct response to the social, environment and political concerns of those who engage in the practice. Acts of craftivism raise important questions for criminologists about the use of public space, power, and resistance. McGovern focuses on an example of the 'craftivist' movement that has been steadily gaining momentum since the early to mid-2000s: yarn bombing. As an urban craft movement that melds the skills of knitting or crochet with the act of graffiti, yarn bombing has the potential to contribute to criminological understandings of graffiti and street art, particularly on issues of gender, perceptions of and motivations for graffiti, and the commodification of crime. Drawing on interviews with yarn bombers and craftivists, Craftivism and Yarn Bombing explores how such acts can be understood and explored through a criminological lens, and will be of interest to students and scholars across a range of disciplines, including criminology, sociology, cultural studies, gender studies, and urban studies. Acknowledgements 7 Praise for Craftivism and Yarn Bombing 10 Contents 11 List of Figures 13 Chapter 1 Introduction 14 Abstract 14 The Research Project and Its Aims 18 Yarn Bombing and Craftivism 20 Chapter Overview 21 References 22 Chapter 2 Unravelling the Threads: Contemporary Craftivism and Its Origins 24 Abstract 24 The Origins of Craftivism 25 War Craftivism 28 Anti-colonial and Anti-slavery Craftivism 31 Economic and Anti-capitalist Craftivism 35 Environmental and Eco-craftivism 40 Health Craftivism 44 Social Justice Craftivism 45 Gendered Violence and Bodily Autonomy Craftivism 54 The Logics of Craftivism 58 References 60 Chapter 3 The Itch to Stitch: Yarn Bombers and Their Motivations 71 Abstract 71 Defining Yarn Bombing 73 The Origins of Yarn Bombing 78 Controversies and Criticisms 80 Understanding Yarn Bombers and Their Motivations 83 Making People Smile, Generating Joy, and Beautification 84 Reclaiming and Softening of Public Space, Rejecting Commercialisation, and Building Communities 88 Raising Awareness, Memorialisation, and Promoting Communities 92 Making a Statement, Protest, and Championing Change 95 References 100 Chapter 4 Craft Attack: The Framing of Yarn Bombing 104 Abstract 104 Crime, Criminality, and Legal Framing of Yarn Bombing 105 Framing Yarn Bombers: Destructive Criminals or Harmless Knitters? 107 How Yarn Bombers Frame Their Practice 114 Deviance, Risk, and Subversion 114 Thrill-Seeking, Edgework and the Carnival of Crime 118 References 121 Chapter 5 Crafty Crimes: The Criminology of Craftivism 124 Abstract 124 Research Findings 126 References 128 Index 129 Front Matter ....Pages i-xv Introduction (Alyce McGovern)....Pages 1-10 Unravelling the Threads: Contemporary Craftivism and Its Origins (Alyce McGovern)....Pages 11-57 The Itch to Stitch: Yarn Bombers and Their Motivations (Alyce McGovern)....Pages 59-91 Craft Attack: The Framing of Yarn Bombing (Alyce McGovern)....Pages 93-112 Crafty Crimes: The Criminology of Craftivism (Alyce McGovern)....Pages 113-117 Back Matter ....Pages 119-122