Joshua Long

Weird City: Sense of Place and Creative Resistance in Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas, at the beginning of the twenty-first century, is experiencing one of the most dynamic periods in its history. Wedged between homogenizing growth and a long tradition of rebellious nonconformity, many Austinites feel that they are in the midst of a "battle for the city's soul."

This book explores the complex and eccentric history of the "Keep Austin Weird" movement. What began as a whimsical grassroots expression of city pride in 2000 has since become a familiar slogan that has been appropriated by dozens of "weird" cities throughout North America. The phrase has served as a rallying cry for local business promotion, a rhetorical tool in city politics, and the unofficial civic motto for a city that continues to experience rapid growth and transformation. Based upon more than a hundred interviews with musicians, city officials, artists, local celebrities, and dozens of "people on the street," this book explores the links between sense of place, consumption patterns, sustainable development, and urban politics in Austin.

Joshua Long is Assistant Professor of Social Sciences at Franklin College Switzerland. An interdisciplinary Human Geographer, Long's scholarly interests include urban geography, sustainable development, regional geography, sustainable agriculture, and sense of place studies.

Weird City: Sense of Place and Creative Resistance in Austin, Texas. University of Texas Press 2010