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Where does stuff come from? To find out,
Harvey Molotch goes behind the scenes for the details behind
the products -- like the garlic press, the Palm Pilot and
the "gangster" PT Cruiser. We find ourselves in
the design studio, on the factory floor, and at the local
plumbing store, learning how goods end up with the capacity
to be made, to sell, and to be used.
Molotch shows how the look, the touch, and
the mechanics of any product reflect the way our culture
and economy combine -- how we interact, do business, exploit
technology, and use art. In his hands, the toaster is not
just a toaster; it becomes a map to the world.
From ancient artifacts to contemporary gadgets,
we learn why some products, like lamps and toys, respond
quickly to fashion, while others, like pencils and toilets,
stay stuck. We see how retailers and other "middle-men"
influence what a thing can be and why some cities become
creative milieus that put their own unique stamp on stuff.
We find out how the sparks of creativity turn into material
form -- sometimes to delight, sometimes to offend.
Where Stuff Comes From suggests that
if we want more socially and environmentally benign products,
we need to better understand the product system we now have.
Ultimately, Molotch suggests how a new design politics can
yield a better world.
Harvey Molotch holds a joint appointment
as Professor of Metropolitan Studies and Sociology at New
York University and Professor of Sociology at the University
of California, Santa Barbara. He is a former Visiting Centennial
Professor at the London School of Economics and has lectured
widely around the world. His prior books include Urban
Fortunes (written with John Logan), which won The Robert
Park Award and The Distinguished Contribution to Sociology
Award from the American Sociological Association.
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