Spraying the Walls, Feeds and Laws: Graffiti as Memetic Technologies of Contentious Politics

Milos Moskovljevic; Muhammad Masood; Marko Skoric

doi:10.1093/ccc/tcaf018

Spraying the Walls, Feeds and Laws: Graffiti as Memetic Technologies of Contentious Politics

Milos Moskovljevic^*, Muhammad Masood, Marko Skoric

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Media and Communication

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

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Abstract

This study examines alternative media (i.e., graffiti) use in contesting the public sphere in the context of the 2019-20 Hong Kong protests. Utilizing the observation method and a theoretical framework of (hybrid) mediation opportunity structure we demonstrate that the protesters have utilized graffiti and street art as the circuit for messages of political resistance in both the material and virtual world. Streets and walls were treated as an extension of the digital sphere by employing graffiti as a memetic means of self-mediation and political resistance in the city.

© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of International Communication Association. All rights reserved.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	247–260
Number of pages	14
Journal	Communication, Culture & Critique
Volume	18
Issue number	3
Online published	6 Jun 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/ccc/tcaf018
Publication status	Published - Sept 2025

Bibliographical note

Information for this record is supplemented by the author(s) concerned.

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Research Keywords

graffiti
Internet memes
Alternative media
Contentious politics
Hong Kong
mediation opportunity structure

Publisher's Copyright Statement

This full text is made available under CC-BY 4.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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AB - This study examines alternative media (i.e., graffiti) use in contesting the public sphere in the context of the 2019-20 Hong Kong protests. Utilizing the observation method and a theoretical framework of (hybrid) mediation opportunity structure we demonstrate that the protesters have utilized graffiti and street art as the circuit for messages of political resistance in both the material and virtual world. Streets and walls were treated as an extension of the digital sphere by employing graffiti as a memetic means of self-mediation and political resistance in the city.© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of International Communication Association. All rights reserved.

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KW - Internet memes

KW - Alternative media

KW - Contentious politics

KW - Hong Kong

KW - mediation opportunity structure

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DO - 10.1093/ccc/tcaf018

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ER -

Spraying the Walls, Feeds and Laws: Graffiti as Memetic Technologies of Contentious Politics

Abstract

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Research Keywords

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