Workshop in Trondheim, June 14. & 15. 2017
Through an examination of the nature of craft and craftsmanship we seek to understand how craft can contribute to sustainability in various ways.
Important dates
Abstract deadline: January 15 th, 2017
Acceptance notification: January 31st, 2017
Draft deadline: June 7th 2017
Workshop dates: June 14th & 15th, 2017
Call for abstracts
You are hereby invited to submit an abstract (2-300 words) for a workshop on craft in Trondheim, Norway. We welcome proposals on emerging topics related to craft and workmanship. The notion of craft includes traditional crafts such as carpentry, pottery and weaving, but we are also interested in aspects of craft, or workmanship in professions not normally associated with craft, such as practitioners of governance and planning, teaching and research.
The purpose of the workshop is to provide a forum and encourage in-depth discussions on the notion and practice of craft in relation to sustainability; environmental, social and cultural sustainability. We recognise that craft as a research topic has been severely undervalued, and we wish with this workshop to explore how issues of craft and workmanship play a role in relation to for example climate change mitigation, sustainable innovation and transitions, human dignity and the health of communities. How can a better understanding of craft provide a path to a better understanding of sustainability?
In this workshop we welcome empirical research on craft and theorisations of craft, for example approaches that seek to conceive and understand the nature of skills and craftsmanship combining philosophical, cultural, anthropological or practical studies of craft with Science, Technology and Society studies perspectives. Research questions of particular interest are: How are traditional crafts practiced in work settings characterised by automatization and technological production processes? Is the nature of craft changing, and what remains through the change? Do challenges of environmental sustainability shape craft and workmanship? If so, in what ways? And can an understanding of these elements of craft contribute to sustainability?
This line of investigation also encourages studies of involvement of ordinary citizens, community groups and other professions than those traditionally associated with crafts, as well as crafting perspectives on for example academic research and bureaucratic activities such as city planning. The core aim of the workshop is to interrogate multiple understandings of craft, and use this discussion to help illuminate and craft more engaged and effective ways towards sustainability.
The workshop will take place on the 14th and 15th of June 2017. Trondheim is known as the “wooden-house city†with far-reaching craft traditions. The workshop will feature invited keynote speakers on craft research, presentations from participants, discussions and work-groups on furthering craft-research.
Papers from the workshop that are found suitable will be published in a special issue on craft in the Nordic Journal of Science and Technology, edited by Dr. Jøran Solli and Dr. Håkon Fyhn. The workshop is the first step towards this publication. We will therefore ask contributors for an a draft-paper (2-3000 words), to be submitted before the workshop to serve as a first draft for the publication.
For any questions, please contact:
Jøran Solli: joran.solli@ntnu.no
HÃ¥kon Fyhn: hakon.fyhn@ntnu.no
Roger Søraa: roger.soraa@ntnu.no
Project webpage: www.CraftingClimate.com