Self-Expression in Spray Paint: Graffiti as a Popular Tool for Democratization in Argentina

This thesis will argue that graffiti and street art increase the democratic self-expression values that Christian Welzel’s (2008) democratization theory argues are integral to the process of democratization. In countries where a repressive authoritarian regime allows little room for the population to express themselves, graffiti and street art offer a venue for the voicing of selfexpression values, which lead to an increase in democratic values and culture. Growth in a society’s self-expression values, facilitated by the creation or exposure to graffiti, leads to mass pro-democratic attitudes. This thesis will use the case of Argentina’s democratic transition following the end of the “Dirty War,” when graffiti played a crucial role in the transition from a brutal authoritarian regime to democracy. Graffiti in Argentina has been integral during the transition to democracy, and this thesis will argue keeping the atrocities of the “Dirty War” in the public eye and collective memory through commemorative graffiti, street art, and demonstrations was extremely valuable to the initial success of the democratic transition. The importance of political graffiti and street art to the culture of Argentina cannot be debated as the streets of Buenos Aires are covered with colorful slogans, stencils and murals. This thesis finds that political graffiti played an integral role in creating and fostering the Argentine population’s self expression values, therefore increasing the democratic culture, and keeping the atrocities of the Dirty War in the country’s collective memory. Political graffiti has been an effective tool for democratization in Argentina.