University of Sussex
Browse
Smith Light 2017 - cultivating sustainability in makerspaces.pdf (248.41 kB)

Cultivating sustainable developments with makerspaces

Download (248.41 kB)
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 06:38 authored by Adrian SmithAdrian Smith, Ann LightAnn Light
In October 2015, we convened a workshop for 80 researchers and practitioners involved in makerspaces in Europe. Our aim was to explore how makerspaces can help cultivate sustainable developments. This paper reports workshop discussion and ideas on the topic, and illustrates interest in the deliberative potential for this kind of ‘citizen lab’. Interestingly, given the emphasis on tools and making practices in many makerspaces, discussion at our makerspace event focused much more on community development capabilities and skills for mobilising alliances for raising social awareness. Discussion problematized different kinds of sustainability, noting that social and economic ambitions can potentially align well with environmental goals at this level of activity, but are not always designed to do so. At heart, the workshop revealed the need for strategies that counter the incumbent social structures that influence ostensibly ‘open’ makerspaces, and thereby enable the tools and capacities available to work on more sustainable developments.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Liinc em revista

ISSN

1808-3536

Publisher

Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro

Issue

1

Volume

13

Page range

162-174

Department affiliated with

  • SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2017-06-13

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2017-06-13

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2017-06-12

Usage metrics

    University of Sussex (Publications)

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC