Everyday Skating, Conflict, and Peacebuilding at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Abstract

Skateboarding is an everyday, out-of-class activity at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Daytona Beach (ERAU-DB) campus, serving as a means of transport and a source of social conflict and peacebuilding. Its popularity among students for mobility around campus fosters a sense of community, but its interlinkage as a source of contention and peace is poorly understood. This study employs a participatory research framework to explore how everyday skateboarding is a form of transport that intersects with conflict and peacebuilding at ERAU. The research combines qualitative and quantitative data collection methods, including surveys, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs), and participant observation. A sample of 391 participants of the campus population was surveyed in Spring 2024, and 30 individuals participated in open-ended interviews. This approach allows for triangulation and enhances the validity of the findings through methodological pluralism. The study underlines that while skateboarding for mobility is a culture at ERAU, the associated conflicts and skating’s role in fostering peace remain contested among administration, skaters, and non-skaters. These highlight the broader impact of skating on DB campus life and offer critical insights to inform policy that fosters a safer, more inclusive environment while recognizing and supporting the unique cultural contributions that skating brings to campus dynamics.

Keywords

• Skateboarding
• Transport
• Conflict
• Peacebuilding
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University