Care of Things
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A01=David Pontille
A01=Jerome Denis
Age Group_Uncategorized
Age Group_Uncategorized
Author_David Pontille
Author_Jerome Denis
automatic-update
B06=Andrew Brown
capitalism
caring for things
Category1=Non-Fiction
Category=JH
Category=JHB
consumerism
COP=United Kingdom
David Pontille
Delivery_Pre-order
DIY
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eq_non-fiction
eq_society-politics
ethics of consumptions
ethics of maintenance
expertise in maintenance
how can I avoid throwing away my broken iPhone
how can we make objects last
how to fix
how to repair things yourself
how to take care of things so you don't have to repair them
how to take care of things so you don’t have to repair them
hyper-materialism
innovation
Jérôme Denis
Language_English
life cycle of products
maintenance
make do and mend
material diplomacy
mending objects
obsession with growth
over consumption
PA=Not yet available
planned obsolescence
politics of maintenance
Price_€20 to €50
PS=Forthcoming
repair reuse recycle
repairing things
Silicon Valley
skills of maintenance
sociology of making things last
sociology of waste
softlaunch
sustainability
sustainable home
sustainable lifestyle
The Care of Things
tool maintenance
Product details
- ISBN 9781509562381
- Weight: 590g
- Dimensions: 147 x 229mm
- Publication Date: 07 Feb 2025
- Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd
- Publication City/Country: GB
- Product Form: Hardback
- Language: English
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What does a coffee machine, a car, road signs, a smartphone, a cathedral, a work of art, a satellite, a bicycle, a washing machine, a bridge, a watch, a computer, the body of a prominent politician and a tractor have in common? Pretty much nothing – except for the fact that, no matter how small, large, important or insignificant something is, it rarely survives without being cared for. Every object eventually experiences wear and tear, it deteriorates, stops working or breaks down. But are we giving the care of things the recognition it deserves? A counterpoint to our modern obsession with innovation but less striking than the one-off act of restoration, the delicate act of making things last rarely attracts our attention.
This book disrupts our dominant narratives by putting those individuals skilled in the art of maintenance front and centre. Jérôme Denis and David Pontille shine a spotlight on the subtle aspects of caring for things, tracing the stories of those involved and, with them, the ethical challenges raised and political lessons learned. These people demonstrate a sensitivity and attentiveness to fragility; they encourage us to cultivate a material diplomacy in which wear is accepted and our relation to things becomes a matter of negotiation and compromise – a far cry from the frenetic rhythm of planned obsolescence inherent in hyper-consumerism. Maintenance demarcates the contours of a world in which we have relinquished the human longing for unlimited power and technological autonomy, a world where our attachment to things is more profound than we ever imagined.
This book disrupts our dominant narratives by putting those individuals skilled in the art of maintenance front and centre. Jérôme Denis and David Pontille shine a spotlight on the subtle aspects of caring for things, tracing the stories of those involved and, with them, the ethical challenges raised and political lessons learned. These people demonstrate a sensitivity and attentiveness to fragility; they encourage us to cultivate a material diplomacy in which wear is accepted and our relation to things becomes a matter of negotiation and compromise – a far cry from the frenetic rhythm of planned obsolescence inherent in hyper-consumerism. Maintenance demarcates the contours of a world in which we have relinquished the human longing for unlimited power and technological autonomy, a world where our attachment to things is more profound than we ever imagined.
Jérôme Denis is Professor of Sociology at Mines Paris-PSL.
David Pontille is Director of Research at CNRS.
