Stefan Krebs / Heike Weber (eds.) The Persistence of Technology. Histories of Repair, Reuse and Disposal. Bielefeld: transcript 2021. ISBN: 978-3-8376-4741-9 OPEN ACCESS

 

URL: https://www.transcript-verlag.de/.../b8/oa9783839447413.pdf  .

Repair, reuse and disposal are closely interlinked phenomena related to the service lives and persistence of technologies. When technical artefacts become old and worn out, decisions have to be taken: is it necessary, worthwhile or even possible to maintain and repair, reuse or dismantle them – or must they be discarded? These decisions depend on factors such as the availability of second-hand markets, repair infrastructures and dismantling or disposal facilities. In telling the stories of China's power grid, Canadian telephones, German automobiles and India's shipbreaking business, among others, the contributions in this volume highlight the persistence of technologies and show that maintenance and repair are not obsolete in modern industries and consumer societies.

ToC

Frontmatter

Seiten 1 - 4

Contents

Seiten 5 - 6

Preface

Seiten 7 - 8

The Persistence of Technology:

Seiten 9 - 26

Rethinking the History of Repair:

Seiten 27 - 48

MAINTAINING INFRASTRUCTURES

Repairing China's Power Grid Amidst Perpetual Warfare, 1937–1955

Seiten 51 - 68

Changing Perceptions of Repair and Maintenance:

Seiten 69 - 86

Business as Usual:

Seiten 87 - 108

USERS AND REPAIR

Mud Bricks in a Concrete State:

Seiten 111 - 138

Maintaining the Mobility of Motor Cars:

Seiten 139 - 162

Of Buses, Batteries and Breakdowns:

Seiten 163 - 182

REUSE AND CONSERVATION

A Bargain or a "Mousetrap"?

Seiten 185 - 204

"Proof of Life":

Seiten 205 - 230

OBSOLESCENCE AND DISPOSAL

Mending or Ending?

Seiten 233 - 262

The Persistence of SS France:

Seiten 263 - 286

Authors

Seiten 287 - 292