This is a course in the politics of modern graffiti culture, from its emergence as a kind of juvenile criminal mischief to its current acclaim in art, fashion and film. We will begin by reading what cultural studies has to say about the study of 'texts', material culture, and youth culture. Then we will try to educate ourselves (as much as we can inside a classroom) about the development and conditions of graffiti work, both abroad and in the US. Students will be required to write about theory with some depth of understanding, as well as completing a more creative final project.