Research agenda
“Our research starts with questions that can be examined systematically. Methods and conclusions must reflect what the data can and cannot establish.”
Research priority
How much documented graffiti activity is associated with a small number of recurring monikers?
Examining concentration can clarify whether a relatively small set of recurring marks accounts for a disproportionate share of documented activity. This question may help researchers evaluate theories of persistence and help practitioners consider where focused responses are appropriate.
Research priority
Where does graffiti recur, and how do patterns associated with individual monikers change across locations?
Repeated documentation can support careful study of place, movement, and recurrence. Spatial patterns may help distinguish persistent locations from broader activity, while remaining attentive to differences in collection and removal practices.
Research priority
How are identity, territory, rivalry, threats, and remembrance expressed through graffiti?
Structured interpretation may help researchers examine how graffiti functions as communication. Any analysis must distinguish observed content from inferred meaning and avoid treating an inscription alone as proof of identity, authorship, or intent.
Research priority
How do patterns of graffiti change following removal and other municipal interventions?
Time-linked records may make it possible to examine what appears after a removal or intervention. Such work could inform evaluation while accounting for differences in reporting, documentation, access, and service delivery.
Research priority
How can systematic evidence inform removal priorities, resource allocation, and evaluation?
Research can help public agencies define measurable questions about recurring locations, workload, and response. The goal is not a universal prescription, but evidence that supports transparent decisions within local conditions.
Research priority
How does documented graffiti activity change over months and years?
Long-term records offer opportunities to examine persistence, change, and seasonality. Interpretation must separate changes in observed activity from changes in documentation, reporting, removal, or analytical practice.
Future research
Verified projects and publications can be added here as the research program develops.