Cheese Machines and Cellos: Technical Craftsmen and Craft Technicians

The study is based on a period of ethnographic research among approximately thirty tradesmen, apprentices, supervisors and related personnel at a medium-sized precision engineering company in Hamilton, New Zealand. The company specialises in high quality niche products and machinery for the dairy, aviation and medical technology industries. Its work involves a wide variety of engineering crafts and practices. My aim was to better understand the work that was done there, the elements of skilled and expert practice involved in it; how these skills were learned and from whom, and what they meant to those who held them. I wanted to find out which people and what conditions and environments best enabled the acquisition of skills and a good learning experience. By way of comparison to this main group, I interviewed a smaller number of craftspeople in the wider community: a fine furniture maker, a printmaker, a ceramicist and two luthiers, all of whom worked independently. This ethnography is located within a wider literature on apprenticeship, skill and education, and about what it means to be a “maker of things” (e.g. Beeby 1992; Biesta 2006; De Munck, Kaplan and Soly 2007; Dormer 1994, 1997; Keep 2007, 2009; Sennett 2008). I also draw on ethnographic discussions by other scholars who have described skilled practices and ways of learning in diverse social and cultural contexts (e.g. Coy 1989; Crawford 2009; Eraut 2001, 2002; Keller and Keller 1996; Lave 1988, 2011; Marchand 2003, 2010). My ethnographic data provides a rich description of a contemporary industrial workplace where learning involves both practical and theoretical knowledge and creative ability. The findings demonstrate that successful learning on the shop floor (and in the other examples given) is the result of a complex amalgam of disparate elements. The learning and teaching in these workplaces are sometimes structured and sometimes serendipitous. They are embedded in and arise from the processes of creativity, analysis, manufacture and reflection. They involve not only what takes place at the worksites but also the qualities and dispositions and histories of learning, both formal and informal, that the participants bring to their work. The development of skill and the acquisition of knowledge are shown to be complex and deeply personal and individual phenomena that are best nurtured in environments rich in materials, opportunity and experience, and in cooperation with interested, capable and expert “others”. This complexity is not easily represented in or catered for by current forms of educational assessment in New Zealand. A further and largely unexpected dimension of the study was my growing awareness of my own apprenticeship as a practitioner of ethnography, including my location as a participant observer in the actual field of study. This experience invariably led me to reflect further on the processes of apprenticeship, education and learning

The Art of Being Human: A Textbook for Cultural Anthropology

Anthropology is the study of all humans in all times in all places. But it is so much more than that. “Anthropology requires strength, valor, and courage,” Nancy Scheper-Hughes noted. “Pierre Bourdieu called anthropology a combat sport, an extreme sport as well as a tough and rigorous discipline. … It teaches students not to be afraid of getting one’s hands dirty, to get down in the dirt, and to commit yourself, body and mind. Susan Sontag called anthropology a “heroic” profession.” What is the payoff for this heroic journey? You will find ideas that can carry you across rivers of doubt and over mountains of fear to find the the light and life of places forgotten. Real anthropology cannot be contained in a book. You have to go out and feel the world’s jagged edges, wipe its dust from your brow, and at times, leave your blood in its soil. In this unique book, Dr. Michael Wesch shares many of his own adventures of being an anthropologist and what the science of human beings can tell us about the art of being human. This special first draft edition is a loose framework for more and more complete future chapters and writings. It serves as a companion to anth101.com, a free and open resource for instructors of cultural anthropology.https://newprairiepress.org/ebooks/1020/thumbnail.jp

The Hybrid Practitioner

The practice of architecture manifests in myriad forms and engagements. Overcoming false divides, this volume frames the fertile relationship between the cultural and scholarly production of academia and the process of designing and building in the material world. It proposes the concept of the hybrid practitioner, who bridges the gap between academia and practice by considering how different aspects of architectural practice, theory, and history intersect, opening up a fascinating array of possibilities for an active engagement with the present. The book explores different, interrelated roles for practicing architects and researchers, from the reproductive activities of teaching, consulting and publishing, through the reflective activities of drawing and writing, to the practice of building. The notion of the hybrid practitioner will appeal strongly to students, teachers and architectural practitioners as part of a multifaceted professional environment. By connecting academic interests with those of the professional realm, The Hybrid Practitioner addresses a wider readership embracing landscape design, art theory and aesthetics, European history, and the history and sociology of professions

Digitally enhanced consumer packaged goods: a data-inspired ideation approach

Consumer packaged goods (CPG) are disposable, relatively low-price, frequently-purchased products such as a bottle of milk or a bar of chocolate. CPGs have a pervasive presence in our everyday practices, and a number of instances have shown the potential of integrating their existing functionalities into the Internet of Things (IoT). Such innovations as, for example, a pill container which reminds one when to take their medication, or a disposable toothbrush which teaches children about oral hygiene, illustrate the capacity of digitally enhanced CPGs to have a positive impact in countless aspects of our lives. However, despite recent research in human-computer interaction (HCI) aimed specifically at enhancing interactions with CPGs, devising enhanced versions of these goods which meet people's needs and reflect their values remains quite elusive. Many challenges in the design of enhanced CPGs stem from their defining characteristics, including their disposability and frequent need to be replenished, as well as from the fact that they are rarely used in isolation, but rather in conjunction with one another as sets. While it has been demonstrated that providing data about item usage during the design process represents a substantially powerful approach for creating effective products, this has not yet been applied in the creation of enhanced CPGs, as we currently lack even a rudimentary understanding of their use. This thesis represents the body of knowledge gathered through the completion of two fieldwork studies focused on how CPGs are used in the practice of cooking. Furthermore, it utilises an understanding of CPG interactions and, through two participatory design workshops, explores how such insights can inspire the conceptualisation of enhanced CPGs. The fieldwork study of this thesis focused on the interactions of CPGs in cooking, which was chosen due to it being one of the most prevalent everyday practices involving CPGs. We examined cooking in two situational contexts: the preparation of familiar meals (those which could be prepared from memory) and that of unfamiliar meals (those which people had never cooked before). The first analysis was concerned with only the preparation of the unfamiliar meals, while in the second analysis we conducted a comparative analysis between familiar and unfamiliar meals. We employed a mixed-methods approach for blending quantitative and qualitative analysis methods. Overall, these studies revealed different characteristics of CPG interactions, including aspects of information-gathering, frequency of task saturation, and the sets of CPGs and utensils which appear together often. One example of our findings was that meal preparation was generally similar regardless of familiarity, as revealed by the repeated use of a select few CPGs across many meals and the consistency of their number of interactions. We then discussed the implications these findings have for the design of digitally-enhanced CPGs with the overall goal of promoting enhancements which fit our routines and habits rather than require us to adapt our practices to the IoT. Inspired by frameworks which have placed data at the centre of the design process, the participatory designs employed in this thesis, made use of the data gathered from the above mentioned fieldwork studies as a tool for participants to inspire the design of enhanced CPGs. We devised a structured workshop to study how participants drew upon the data, as well as how they perceive the influence this approach had on their ideation process. To facilitate their use of the data, we devised an array of design resources including data visualisations and design cards. We explored our approach in two studies: one which consisted of participants from the general public, and the other which consisted of professional designers. Analysing the role of data as expressed through participants’ comments and designs, we found that data served as a basis for the creation of unique concepts imbued with a sense of empathy and a greater consideration for the experiences and interests of others. Furthermore, we found that participants considered possible negative ramifications of the use of data for design, including ethical and privacy issues which may stem from such data collection, as well as a potential bias towards focusing on aspects highlighted by the data. This thesis makes a number of contributions in showing that a detailed understanding of CPG interactions in practice can lead to insights which inspire the design of technologically-enhanced CPGs. It also presents analysis methods to further study the use of CPGs in practice, as well as an approach which enables people with no relevant formal training to utilise data effectively. In addition, this work provides implications for designing enhanced versions of CPGs which fit their practical contexts of use. For an accurate view of this research and its contributions, its limitations must be acknowledged, such as the relatively small size of our data sample and our bias towards the use of technologies to provide product enhancements. Nevertheless, our work highlights the need for an understanding of the practical use of objects to better design technological innovations which fit well into their real-world interactions, and serves to emphasise the need to continue research on CPG innovations. This work represents merely the first steps towards CPGs which are designed using a solid foundation of an empirical working knowledge of the practices in which CPGs play a role

The Hybrid Practitioner

The practice of architecture manifests in myriad forms and engagements. Overcoming false divides, this volume frames the fertile relationship between the cultural and scholarly production of academia and the process of designing and building in the material world. It proposes the concept of the hybrid practitioner, who bridges the gap between academia and practice by considering how different aspects of architectural practice, theory, and history intersect, opening up a fascinating array of possibilities for an active engagement with the present. The book explores different, interrelated roles for practicing architects and researchers, from the reproductive activities of teaching, consulting and publishing, through the reflective activities of drawing and writing, to the practice of building. The notion of the hybrid practitioner will appeal strongly to students, teachers and architectural practitioners as part of a multifaceted professional environment. By connecting academic interests with those of the professional realm, The Hybrid Practitioner addresses a wider readership embracing landscape design, art theory and aesthetics, European history, and the history and sociology of professions

Teaching What Matters: A Rhetorical Analysis of Arguments on Liberal Arts Education at the University of Texas-Austin

This dissertation conducts rhetorical criticism of the public controversy prompted by higher education reforms proposed by Texas Governor Rick Perry in his 2008 “Seven Breakthrough Solutions” packet and summit. The analysis begins by exploring topoi, or commonplace arguments, raised during the argumentation between Perry and his interlocutors (led by University of Texas‐Austin Dean Randy Diehl). Drawing from the rhetorical tradition, the study deploys a theory of hierarchical topos, where topoi within a text are interpreted vertically, as they relate to one another in terms of priority. Next, horizontal juxtaposition of competing topoi from the “Seven Breakthrough Solutions” and Diehl’s response reveal how interlocutors engaged one another’s claims. This process of uncovering the interactions between topoi is followed by an investigation of how arguments from the Texas controversy were later picked up by other stakeholders, most notably Florida State University and Florida Gulf Coast University. The study’s key findings relate to assessments of the relative strength of arguments offered by both sides in the controversy, as well as identification of central points of agreement and disagreement. The dissertation concludes by reflecting on how otherwise disparate interlocutors agreed upon the educational value of training in argumentation and critical analysis, considering possible implications of this concurrence for future controversies over liberal arts education in U.S. institutions of higher learning

Digitally enhanced consumer packaged goods: a data-inspired ideation approach

Consumer packaged goods (CPG) are disposable, relatively low-price, frequently-purchased products such as a bottle of milk or a bar of chocolate. CPGs have a pervasive presence in our everyday practices, and a number of instances have shown the potential of integrating their existing functionalities into the Internet of Things (IoT). Such innovations as, for example, a pill container which reminds one when to take their medication, or a disposable toothbrush which teaches children about oral hygiene, illustrate the capacity of digitally enhanced CPGs to have a positive impact in countless aspects of our lives. However, despite recent research in human-computer interaction (HCI) aimed specifically at enhancing interactions with CPGs, devising enhanced versions of these goods which meet people's needs and reflect their values remains quite elusive. Many challenges in the design of enhanced CPGs stem from their defining characteristics, including their disposability and frequent need to be replenished, as well as from the fact that they are rarely used in isolation, but rather in conjunction with one another as sets. While it has been demonstrated that providing data about item usage during the design process represents a substantially powerful approach for creating effective products, this has not yet been applied in the creation of enhanced CPGs, as we currently lack even a rudimentary understanding of their use. This thesis represents the body of knowledge gathered through the completion of two fieldwork studies focused on how CPGs are used in the practice of cooking. Furthermore, it utilises an understanding of CPG interactions and, through two participatory design workshops, explores how such insights can inspire the conceptualisation of enhanced CPGs. The fieldwork study of this thesis focused on the interactions of CPGs in cooking, which was chosen due to it being one of the most prevalent everyday practices involving CPGs. We examined cooking in two situational contexts: the preparation of familiar meals (those which could be prepared from memory) and that of unfamiliar meals (those which people had never cooked before). The first analysis was concerned with only the preparation of the unfamiliar meals, while in the second analysis we conducted a comparative analysis between familiar and unfamiliar meals. We employed a mixed-methods approach for blending quantitative and qualitative analysis methods. Overall, these studies revealed different characteristics of CPG interactions, including aspects of information-gathering, frequency of task saturation, and the sets of CPGs and utensils which appear together often. One example of our findings was that meal preparation was generally similar regardless of familiarity, as revealed by the repeated use of a select few CPGs across many meals and the consistency of their number of interactions. We then discussed the implications these findings have for the design of digitally-enhanced CPGs with the overall goal of promoting enhancements which fit our routines and habits rather than require us to adapt our practices to the IoT. Inspired by frameworks which have placed data at the centre of the design process, the participatory designs employed in this thesis, made use of the data gathered from the above mentioned fieldwork studies as a tool for participants to inspire the design of enhanced CPGs. We devised a structured workshop to study how participants drew upon the data, as well as how they perceive the influence this approach had on their ideation process. To facilitate their use of the data, we devised an array of design resources including data visualisations and design cards. We explored our approach in two studies: one which consisted of participants from the general public, and the other which consisted of professional designers. Analysing the role of data as expressed through participants’ comments and designs, we found that data served as a basis for the creation of unique concepts imbued with a sense of empathy and a greater consideration for the experiences and interests of others. Furthermore, we found that participants considered possible negative ramifications of the use of data for design, including ethical and privacy issues which may stem from such data collection, as well as a potential bias towards focusing on aspects highlighted by the data. This thesis makes a number of contributions in showing that a detailed understanding of CPG interactions in practice can lead to insights which inspire the design of technologically-enhanced CPGs. It also presents analysis methods to further study the use of CPGs in practice, as well as an approach which enables people with no relevant formal training to utilise data effectively. In addition, this work provides implications for designing enhanced versions of CPGs which fit their practical contexts of use. For an accurate view of this research and its contributions, its limitations must be acknowledged, such as the relatively small size of our data sample and our bias towards the use of technologies to provide product enhancements. Nevertheless, our work highlights the need for an understanding of the practical use of objects to better design technological innovations which fit well into their real-world interactions, and serves to emphasise the need to continue research on CPG innovations. This work represents merely the first steps towards CPGs which are designed using a solid foundation of an empirical working knowledge of the practices in which CPGs play a role

The material politics of ivory in early modern Europe

This dissertation sets out to challenge the material history and biography of ivory in early modern Europe (ca. 1600-1800) and explores the mutable materialities of ivory as both a sculptural material and a vehicle of cultural meaning. As an often-peripheral material, ivory's history needs to be reimagined as a central and integral material player on the early modern European artistic stage. Throughout my dissertation, I upend the normative paradigms surrounding ivory to re-contextualize and reconceptualize the material as a performative mechanism of meaning for an object rather than as material used to create an object. This dissertation focuses on four main geographic areas of early modern Europe -- the Austrian Habsburg Empire, the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway, the Electorate of Saxony, and the British Empire -- as an illustration of ivory's material power and also as an elucidation of non-dominant topographical spaces as centers of material artistic prowess. I explore mythological and religious sculptures, political portraits, ivory frigates, and ivory furniture to answer the question of "why ivory?" What made this African material so desirable for European commissioners? What intrinsic cultural, iconographic, and semiotic value did this natural material hold for elite European society? As I argue, ivory's intrinsic religious, mythological, political, and colonial materialities fashioned a material representative of the changing cultural ideologies of early modern Europe. Through the explication of specified narratives, ivory's agency and material potency shines as bright as its own polished surface.Includes bibliographical references