"I found the truth in Foot Locker" : London 2011, Urban Culture and the Post-Political City

The article begins with an overview of what is implied in the notion of the ‘post-political’ before looking closely at post-political interpretations of the 2011 London riots. It presents a critique of the restricted sense of political subjectivity in such accounts. It demonstrates, how participation in the riots and their aftermath may be seen as indicative of an embryonic form of urban politics that works with and against the post-political city. This discussion is illuminated by an analysis of the discursive space of London hip-hop which reveals an ironic, complex and reflexive dialogue about identity, justice and politics that is far removed from the caricature offered by ‘strong’ interpretations of the post-political subject. This is then linked to readings of the post-political city that place a welcome stress not only on the evacuation of the political dimension from the city, but also the opportunities for the re-emergence of the proto-political.