Kulturen des Reparierens und die Lebensdauer der Dinge (Teil 1)

in TU: Zeitschrift für Technik im Unterricht (2021), 46(2), 5-13

Rethinking the History of Repair: Repair Cultures and the "Lifespan" of Things

in Krebs, Stefan; Weber, Heike (Eds.) The Persistence of Technology: Histories of Repair, Reuse and Disposal (2021)

Stefan Krebs and Heike Weber historicise the concept of "repairing things" with a view to broadening and redefining the emphasis of current debates on repair as a "new social movement" and the emergence ... [more ▼]

Stefan Krebs and Heike Weber historicise the concept of "repairing things" with a view to broadening and redefining the emphasis of current debates on repair as a "new social movement" and the emergence of a "repair society". These current discourses often lack a sense of the long history of repairing things which saw ups and downs in cultures of repair and self-repair. The chapter charts out the heterogeneity and interrelatedness of the actors involved in repair over time. It draws on examples from Western Europe and North America to highlight some important moments in the history of repair, the intrinsic links between professional and DIY repair practices, discourses on the "lifespan" of things, and changing disposal regimes. [less ▲]

The Persistence of Technology: Histories of Repair, Reuse and Disposal

Book published by Transcript (2021)

Repair, reuse and disposal are closely interlinked phenomena related to the service lives and persistence of technologies. When technical artefacts become old and worn out, decisions have to be taken: is ... [more ▼]

Repair, reuse and disposal are closely interlinked phenomena related to the service lives and persistence of technologies. When technical artefacts become old and worn out, decisions have to be taken: is it necessary, worthwhile or even possible to maintain and repair, reuse or dismantle them – or must they be discarded? These decisions depend on factors such as the availability of second-hand markets, repair infrastructures and dismantling or disposal facilities. In telling the stories of China's power grid, Canadian telephones, German automobiles and India's shipbreaking business, among others, the contributions in this volume highlight the persistence of technologies and show that maintenance and repair are not obsolete in modern industries and consumer societies. [less ▲]

Kulturen des Reparierens: Dinge - Wissen - Praktiken

Book published by Transcript (2018)

Reparieren und Instandhalten sind ökonomisch wie kulturell zentrale Praktiken im »Leben« technischer Dinge und Infrastrukturen. Der Band rückt diese bislang wenig untersuchten Tätigkeiten in den ... [more ▼]

Reparieren und Instandhalten sind ökonomisch wie kulturell zentrale Praktiken im »Leben« technischer Dinge und Infrastrukturen. Der Band rückt diese bislang wenig untersuchten Tätigkeiten in den Vordergrund und fragt nach den Wissensformen der unterschiedlichen Kulturen des Reparierens. Die Expertisen und politischen Ambitionen menschlicher Akteure finden dabei ebenso Berücksichtigung wie die Eigendynamik der Dinge. Die Beiträge untersuchen Praktiken wie die Uhr- oder Computerreparatur sowie Räume wie die Wohnung und das Krankenhaus, das Repair Café und die Stadt des Globalen Südens. Nicht zuletzt geht es um die Frage, inwiefern Reparieren und reparaturfreundliches Design zu mehr Nachhaltigkeit beitragen können. [less ▲]