Chapter 1. Mapping Affective Geographies, Reading Exarcheian Archives
Chapter 2. Narratives of Apoliticisation and Political Performativity
Chapter 3. The ‘Exarcheia Problem’: Moral and Material ‘Wretchedness’ in the Neighbourhood
Chapter 4. Politics of Neglect and Conceptualisations of ‘the State’

Conclusion. Departures. ‘The Metro is Coming!’

References
Index

Rethinking a Radical Reputation

An Athens Neighbourhood between Media Hype and Social Experience

Maria Kenti-Kranidioti

206 pages, 21 ills., bibliog., index

ISBN 978-1-83695-133-9 Hb Published (September 2025)

eISBN 978-1-83695-132-2
web ISBN 978-1-83695-132-2

Details

“This is a highly engaging account of the ambivalent discourses surrounding Exarcheia ... it is a compelling reading for anthropology, urban studies and political activism.” • Olga Demetriou, Durham University

Known for its anarchist and leftist movements, its uprisings and its vibrant counterculture, Exarcheia has long been a symbol of resistance and political activism in Greece. Through the voices and experiences of those who live, work and move through Exarcheia, this book delves into Athens’ most contested neighbourhood – both its visible, striking elements and the unseen, elusive forces that linger in whispers, silences and memories. It unravels the tensions and contradictions of a place where beauty and resistance, decay and resilience are coexistent. Rather than reinforcing or dismissing its clichés and stereotypes, this exploration reveals the layered histories and political narratives that shape Exarcheia’s past, present and future.

Maria Kenti-Kranidioti is a social anthropologist and a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Cyprus. Her research interests include urban anthropology, comparative ethnography, politics, identity, displacement and social movements.