This is the website of the Making Futures on-line journal

The website for the 2nd Making Futures conference in September 2011 can be found at: makingfutures.plymouthart.ac.uk

The website for the 1st Making Futures conference held in 2009 can be found at: makingfutures.plymouthart.ac.uk/2009

ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION

The papers in this volume represent the results of the first Making Futures international research conference held in September 2009 at Mount Edgcumbe House, in the Mount Edgcumbe country estate that lies across the River Tamar opposite the City of Plymouth, UK.

The purpose of the Making Futures conference series is to improve understanding of the ways in which the contemporary crafts are practised in relation to significant and new emerging agendas relating to global environmental and sustainability issues. The objectives included trying to understand whether these ‘agendas’ offer opportunities for the crafts to redefine and reconstitute themselves as less marginalised, more centrally productive forces in society, through new formulations and/or re-articulations of practices, identities, positions and markets, in ways that might engage more closely with contemporary social and cultural needs.

Thirty-nine presentations were selected for the final conference programme following a process of double-blind abstract reviewing by a distinguished peer review panel. By far the overwhelming majority of presenters (thirty-five) responded positively to the post- conference call to publish and all are included in this volume, and accompanied by an introductory essay by Malcolm Ferris, the conference curator.

To ensure the widest possible dissemination Making Futures is published as an open-access academic resource for all those interested in its theme.


EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION

Malcolm Ferris (Plymouth College of Art, UK)
Making Futures: the crafts in the context of emerging global sustainability agendas
Making Futures Vol 1: i-vi [Full Paper PDF]

PAPER THEMES

The papers in this session largely examined the tensions and flows expressed in craft making and craft consumption in the supposedly ‘post-colonial’ contexts of contemporary global capitalism and its possible futures. Ethical and [Read more...]

The papers in this session largely examined the relationship of craft practices to ‘post-industrial’ modes of design, making, marketing and consumption. Also, emerging reactions to mass production, de-skilling and contemporary [Read more...]

The papers in this session largely revolved around a series of historically informed critical-cultural perspectives that sought to define the position of the contemporary crafts in relation to the political economies of [Read more...]

The papers in this session largely explored some of the ways in which craft practitioners are imaginatively responding to public dialogues around sustainability issues, especially through the “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle” rubric. They [Read more...]

The papers in this session largely explored social equity and environmental sustainability in the context of crafts education and curriculum design. Despite the frequently asserted transformative value of purposive, embodied [Read more...]

Rights & Permissions

Copyright of the papers belongs to the Making Futures conference organiser, Plymouth College of Art. Authors retain proprietary rights and veto over third party publication. Authors wishing to publish elsewhere must first seek permission from Plymouth College of Art and will be required to credit them as the original publishers of the paper.

To ensure the widest possible dissemination Making Futures is published as open-access academic resource. Not-for-profit users are able to download the full articles for reading. Not-for-profit users wishing to quote or reuse any part or section of an article in print or electronic media must ensure the used portion is accompanied by a credit acknowledging the original author and Pl ymouth College of Art as the original publishers of the paper. For-profit users should contact the Making Futures Project Manager at Plymouth College of Art for permissions.