This thesis examines experiences of disorder in Snösätra, an old storage area on the outskirts of Stockholm. Snösätra is here defined as an indeterminate space – an ambiguous area with an unclear future, function and position within the city. This indeterminacy has made it possible for actors to interpret and utilise the area in various informal and unintended ways. While the zoning plan states that the area is to be used solely as a storage site, it has over time been used for rave parties, illegal occupancies, skateboarding, unauthorised constructions and, not least, for graffiti – with open walls, a gallery and an annual festival. Snösätra has therefore been described as a place for both ‘shady activities’ and grassroots creativity.

Within criminology, disorder has primarily been interpreted as a problematic phenomenon, heavily influenced by the broken windows theory. It is frequently defined in terms of specific phenomena, such as graffiti or littering, and linked to (fear of) crime. This thesis aims to challenge this criminological understanding, illuminating the variations and nuances that may exist in the experiences of this phenomenon. Drawing on Mary Douglas’s theory of dirt, this thesis defines disorder as a perception of ‘things’ being out of their expected place. This theoretical point of departure is combined with a phenomenological perspective focusing on individuals’ subjective experiences of this disorder. The empirical material consists of qualitative interviews with 44 actors who are, or have been, involved in Snösätra in various ways, including graffiti artists, rave organisers, business owners and local civil servants. Through the terms value and waste, the study highlights how phenomena in Snösätra are perceived as worthless or valuable, thereby creating different experiences of disorder.

The thesis shows that disorder is a situational and relational phenomenon that is closely intertwined with understandings of place. The participants experience disorder as either creative or problematic depending on how they engage with the area – whether they primarily perceive Snösätra as a workplace or a free zone. This challenges the notion of disorder within criminology – what it is and how it is experienced. Consequently, Snösätra illustrates the inherent contradiction that Douglas identifies in disorder as both dangerous and powerful.