Alexis M. Lerner. Post-Soviet Graffiti: Free Speech in Authoritarian States. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2025. xxv, 237 pp. Appendix. Notes. Bibliography. Index. Photographs. Tables. 85. 00, hard bound. 32. 95, paper.

Key Points

• The aim is to analyze the role of graffiti as a form of free speech in post-Soviet authoritarian contexts.
• Literary analysis of graffiti as cultural expression
• Examination of historical and socio-political contexts
• Interviews with graffiti artists and political commentators
• Identified graffiti as a significant outlet for free expression
• Highlighted the tension between state censorship and artistic freedom
• Illustrated examples of graffiti that challenge authoritarian narratives