“The city is ours” – Zagreb’s subcultures and space

This paper presents the results of research on the relationship between subcultural groups and spaces in Zagreb. Three ethnographic studies were conducted on three different groups – punks, skateboarders, and football supporters. By using qualitative methodological tools from an ethnographic approach (participant observation and interviews), the goal was to research different dimensions of the relationship between these groups and spaces within the urban environment. We were interested in how the subcultural identifications of subcultural groups influence the understanding of space. We approached the phenomenon of space primarily relationally, relying on the theory of Martina Löw, and then expanded on the understanding of space for the subcultural actors themselves by using the subcultural theory of Erik Hannerz and Patrick Williams. Our results suggest the existence of common aspects of the use and experience of space among all three researched groups. At the same time, the relation to the mainstream through the prism of space is also evident, either on the convex or concave dimension of their subcultural identity.