Private and public nuisance have been the subject of extensive legal scholarship; however,
far less has been said about nuisance as a sociolegal and political concept. Bringing a
normative perspective to the analysis of nuisance claims, this article seeks to draw
together discussions of nuisance in very different contexts - from the tortious injuries
caused by sounds, vibrations and odours crossing property boundaries to the everyday claims
that particular identities or statuses represent an impediment to the pursuit of legitimate
interests. In attempting to determine the common ground, if any, that exists between these
different nuisance usages, the article focuses on the ways in which freedom, control,
responsibility, attention, purpose and place have been articulated. My aim in doing so is
threefold: first, to analyse the norms and values underlying nuisance as a discourse and
regulatory technique; second, to consider whether engaging in nuisance conduct has anything
to offer a progressive or radical politics; and third, to consider the limits and potential
in reconceptualizing nuisance to designate new, counterhegemonic common senses.
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