Risky, Subversive, and Deviant? A Criminological Analysis of Guerrilla Knitting

Abstract

Guerrilla knitting, otherwise known as yarn bombing, is a form of graffiti or street art that has grown in popularity and prevalence over the past decade. Whilst other forms of street art and graffiti have drawn interest from criminologists, much less has been written about the cultures of, and responses to, those who engage in knitting graffiti. Examining the phenomenon through the lens of cultural criminology, and drawing on empirical research with yarn bombers, this paper critically analyses the ways in which guerrilla knitting has been framed as a risky, subversive, and deviant activity. In doing so, the paper considers important questions about exceptionalism, the aesthetics of authority, and the commodification of deviance.