ABSTRACT
When studying how people use public space in large urban gatherings, such as protests, festivals or sporting events, sometimes researchers cannot be physically present, making direct observation and interviewing impossible. In those cases, archival sources are useful for collecting valuable information. This chapter outlines an archive-based approach to studying behavior in public space and explains and assesses a series of methods. The chapter starts with a foundation of basic methods spatial research and analysis described by John Zeisel, Linda Groat and David Wang. These are supported with lessons and recommendations drawn from the author’s own research about protests and protest policing in the United States during political conventions. This chapter emphasizes source discovery, source analysis and making connections between information drawn from diverse primary, secondary and tertiary sources.
