Citizen, But Without Permission

"Citizen, But Without Permission" rejects the commonly-held misconception that skateboarding was started by California surfers in the 50s, and instead traces the evolution of the material history of skateboarding from its inception in the DIY repurposing of city kids in the late 1800s. The proliferation of concrete was an integral element of the origin of skateboarding, and "Citizen, But Without Permission" focuses on the relationship between equipment, terrain, and ritual in order to explain how skateboarding went from broken skates for novel thrills to precision instruments for mind-bending tricks. This book explains how skateboarding evolved in urban environments through the innovations of skater-owned skateboard companies, and it makes a clear case for why skateboarding should be considered as part of urban environments by city planners, developers, architects, and other decision makers who shape society.