On Top of the City

A fascinating and unique book which casts new light on the rooftops of St Petersburg as a means of understanding the relationship between space and power in this modern Russian city. St Petersburg - known for its horizontal skyline, punctuated with the gold domes and spires that, along with its rivers and canals, have become iconic features of the city.Drawing on original, on-the-ground research, On Top of the City shines a unique spotlight on the hidden youth communities of St Petersburg, Russia, where space and power collide and co-exist. Focusing on urban exploration, Abigail Karas demonstrates how the city’s panoramas - especially its rooftops - contribute to the formation of a local St Petersburg identity and a fascinating underground culture where young people turn the rooftops into safe spaces, where they can resist the encroaching political repression of Putin’s Russia.Arguing that young Petersburgers’ skyline trespassing is a way for them to reclaim their rights - over themselves and the city - On Top of the City invites readers to look upwards, at what these young communities create, as well as downwards, to the social and political control they are trying to escape.

Pages: 320, Hardcover, Bloomsbury Academic