The Social Life of Materials

Studies in Materials and Society

By: Adam Drazin (Editor), Susanne KÃ¼chler (Editor)

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Paperback | 27 August 2015 | Edition Number 1

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336 Pages

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23.39 x 15.6 x 1.78

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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.

Industry Reviews

Materials matter. The Social Life of Materials provides an accessible and fascinating collection of case studies exploring the meanings and properties of materials, and their relations to the things made with them and how we use them. By considering both substantial attributes and cultural meanings, an unusually rich sense of materiality is developed.
Anthropology Review Database

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