Freestyle e identidad: la resignificación del uso del espacio público a través de la resistencia simbólica.

Abstract

The study analyzes how freestyle battles redefine public space in the city of Cuenca through symbolic resistance, allowing young members of the freestyle community to transform and reclaim their identities. It examines the interaction between competitors, the audience, and the environment, addressing identity, masculinity, power relations, and the right to use public space. Based on the theories of Turner (performance), Scott (resistance), Lefebvre (public space), and Bourdieu (cultural and symbolic capital), the study also explores the microeconomy of these events. Thus, freestyle is highlighted as a tool of expression and subversion that challenges social stigmas and power structures in urban spaces.