The value of a makerspace: cultural (re-)production and the making of a city
Name
The value of a makerspace cultural re- production and the making of a city.pdf
Description
Published version
Size
362.95 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
08c212177c674ec6e0cebc3730ae21e7
Author(s)
Debowski, James
Campo, Dan
Ryan, Brent D.
Date Issued
2024
Journal
Journal of Urbanism: International Research on Placemaking and Urban Sustainability
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Citation
Debowski, J., Campo, D., & Ryan, B. (2024). The value of a makerspace: cultural (re-)production and the making of a city. Journal of Urbanism: International Research on Placemaking and Urban Sustainability, 1–23.
Version
Final published version
Abstract
Coming to prominence in the early 2000s, makerspaces have become a popular strategy for community development, neighborhood vitalization and education initiatives. However, challenges in defining and communicating the value of makerspaces limit their inclusion in policy and community development initiatives. This article fuses approaches from urban design, planning and cultural anthropology to outline a novel approach to understanding the value of a makerspace. We argue that makerspaces can help to (re)produce the unique culture and character of their host communities. This study surveyed 43 makerspaces in the Northeast of the United States, identifying four broad typologies categorizing how makerspaces relate to their socio-material contexts. We look to these typologies to identify commonalities and differences in the ways that makerspaces contribute to and are shaped by their host communities. Our study offers a community-centered approach to valorizing makerspaces. These findings have implications for future policy, social investment and community development initiatives.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Urban Studies and Planning
Terms of Use
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License
Persistent DSpace Link
DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1080/17549175.2024.2319028
