Abstract
The U.S. is a country born out of protest, a nation which enshrined in its Constitution the right to assemble and petition the government, which includes the right to protest peacefully. Cities are spatial media and the site of much current contentiousness and controversy in the Trump administration’s America. Cities can be symbols of protest such as sanctuary cities. Appropriation of everyday urban spaces and activities has been key to opposition politics. City streets have historically been the site of sign toting protesters watched o masked members of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This paper explores the historical and contemporary political communicative functions of the city itself with emphasis on forms of political public protest today.
Recommended Citation
Drucker, Susan
(2026)
"A Sign of Our Times: Cities, Protest and Public Space,"
Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association: Vol. 2025, Article 9.
Available at:
https://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2025/iss1/9