Articles in Academic Journals / Social Movements / Squatting

The Squatters’ Movement: Urban Counter-Culture and Alter-Globalization Dynamics

Versión en Español

Martínez, Miguel (2007) The Squatters’ Movement: Urban Counter-Culture and Alter-Globalization Dynamics, South European Society and Politics, 12:3, 379 - 398.

Squatting in abandoned houses and buildings in Spanish cities has been a continuous occurrence since the early 1980s. CSOAs (Centros Sociales Okupados y Autogestionados/ Squatted and Self-Managed Social Centres) acquired greater public importance than buildings squatted only for housing purposes. Nevertheless, both forms of squatting have taken place simultaneously. This article delineates the main characteristics of this movement by taking into consideration: (a) spatial trends, (b) the ideological principles, (c) attempts at coordination and (d) the interrelationship with other social movements. This exercise develops a working definition of the squatters’ movement in Spain which allows us to argue that its repertoire of protest and political objectives represents an innovation in the cycle of alter-globalization demonstrations which the squatters’ movement has actively joined.

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Published: 27 October 2007
Keywords: Activism, Spaces