Prof. Ross Outlines the Pedagogy of Graffiti
May 25, 2018
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To offer guidance for professors interested in teaching courses on graffiti, Jeffrey Ian Ross, professor in the University of Baltimore's School of Criminal Justice, and John F. Lennon of the University of South Florida have recently published a paper in The Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Education. The paper focuses on the challenges that may arise when a course is structured around a subject matter that is "amorphous, nontraditional, and potentially controversial," as the pair describe it—which could sum up the teaching of graffiti, including its origins, social impact, and ties to other issues in law enforcement.
Ross and Lennon said they noticed an absence in the pedagogical literature on this and other similar topics. Although humanities courses often focus on graffiti for a lesson, unit, or assignment, information on how to teach an entire class dedicated to the subject was simply nonexistent.
While both authors approach the subject from different backgrounds—Prof. Ross teaches criminal justice, and explains in the paper that his approach to graffiti is focused on resistance and street culture; while Prof. Lennon approaches the subject from the perspective of an English professor—the advice offered within the paper could be used to teach the subject in any capacity. Many of the methods used to convey information, such as videconferencing with graffiti artists and taking walking tours, have been employed by both professors.
Read an abstract for Ross and Lennon's paper.
Learn more about Prof. Ross and UB's School of Criminal Justice.