"Bold, urgent, and thought-provoking, Post-Soviet Graffiti tours post-Soviet cityscapes to reveal street art as a powerful site of artistic exchange between artists and authoritarian regimes. Alexis Lerner writes powerfully and persuasively to peel back the layers of contestation and co-optation that graffiti forces into the public sphere. Students and scholars of culture, politics, and urban studies will find this an essential read." Ian Garner, Assistant Professor of Totalitarian Studies, Pilecki Institute "The idea behind this book is deceptively simple: that graffiti are a tool for reflecting the issues that concern a community. But there the simplicity ends: in fieldwork carried out between 2009 and 2019, Lerner photographed graffiti in cities in the former Soviet space, interviewed artists, attended lectures, toured exhibitions, and visited art collectives. The result is a book that provides both precious evidence for free speech under authoritarian rule and a theoretical reflection on public space as a site for political action." Sidney Tarrow, Professor Emeritus of Government, Cornell University, Author of Power in Movement (2022) "Relying on extensive regional fieldwork and first-hand interviews with artists, Post-Soviet Graffiti sheds light on the nuanced ways in which graffiti can serve as an important mode of free expression in closed political spaces. In it, Alexis Lerner offers a thoughtful and fresh take on this important yet underexplored avenue of contestation in authoritarian contexts.

" Erica Frantz, Associate Professor of Political Science, Michigan State University "Alexis Lerner provides a riveting exploration of the use (and misuse) of graffiti in Russia and the post-Soviet space. What started as a source of free expression and social criticism has morphed into corporatism and state co-option. Even Vladimir Putin recognized the power of unregulated graffiti and brought it in-house. A compelling narrative accompanied by dozens of photos, Lerner takes the reader on a guided tour that not only describes the power of street art, but also opens one's eyes to its possibilities." William E. Pomeranz, Senior Fellow, Wilson Centre.