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The Social Life of Materials - Studies in Materials and Society (Paperback)
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The Social Life of Materials - Studies in Materials and Society (Paperback)
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Materials play a central role in society. Beyond the physical and
chemical properties of materials, their cultural properties have
often been overlooked in anthropological studies: finished products
have been perceived as 'social' yet the materials which comprise
them are considered 'raw' or natural'. The Social Life of Materials
proposes a new perspective in this interdisciplinary field.
Diverting attention from the consumption of objects, the book looks
towards the properties of materials and how these exist through
many transformations in a variety of cultural contexts.Human
societies have always worked with materials. However, the customs
and traditions surrounding this differ according to the place, the
time and the material itself. Whether or not the material is
man-made, materials are defined by social intervention. Today,
these constitute one of the most exciting areas of global
scientific research and innovation, harboring the potential to act
as key vehicles of change in the world. But this 'materials
revolution' has complex social implications. Smart materials are
designed to anticipate our actions and needs, yet we are
increasingly unable to apprehend the composite materials which
comprise new products.Bringing together ethnographic studies of
cultures from around the world, this collection explores the
significance of materials by moving beyond questions of what may be
created from them. Instead, the text argues that the materials
themselves represent a shifting ground around which relationships,
identities and powers are constantly formed and dissolved in the
act of making and remaking.
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