The Anthropology of Craft: Material Practices and Social Transformation

Abstract (English)

The World Anthropological Union (WAU) Congress 2025, themed "Unearthing Humanity: Critical and Urgent Epistemic Redefinitions in World Anthropologies," emphasizes the need to critically examine and redefine the foundational knowledge structures within anthropology. This panel, titled "The Anthropology of Craft: Material Practices and Social Transformation," aligns with the congress's focus by exploring how craft practices serve as a lens to understand and challenge existing epistemologies.

Craft, encompassing both material practices and cultural expressions, plays a pivotal role in shaping and reflecting social change. Craft practices are deeply embedded in social life. They act as mediums through which communities negotiate identity, power, and resilience amidst globalization, economic shifts, and environmental challenges.

This panel delves into how skills, techniques, and material knowledge are transmitted, adapted, and reinterpreted across generations and geographies. It examines the ways in which craft serves as a site of resistance against cultural homogenization, a tool for economic empowerment, and a means of preserving intangible heritage. Moreover, craft is not only about the final product but also about the process of making—the relationships, labor, and meanings embedded in the act of creation.

By investigating the multifaceted roles of craft in various cultural contexts, this panel seeks to contribute to the congress's aim of redefining anthropological epistemologies. It invites discussions on how material practices influence and are influenced by broader social transformations, thereby offering insights into inclusive, ethical, and innovative approaches to understanding humanity in its diverse and interconnected forms. These topics can included but not limited to:

1. The role of craft in constructing and negotiating cultural and social identities
2. Gender dynamics in traditional and contemporary craft practices
3. The impact of globalization and market forces on local artisanal traditions
4. Craft as a form of resistance, resilience, and cultural preservation
5. The relationship between craft, sustainability, and environmental practices
6. The intersection of craft with policy, heritage management, and tourism
7. Innovations and adaptations in craft practices in response to social and technological changes