Fish Sticks, Sports Bras, & Aluminum: The Politics of Everyday Technologies

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Synopsis
A revealing look at the history, politics, and social meanings behind everyday objects.Who would have guessed that the first sports bra was made out of two jockstraps sewn together or that it succeeded because of federal anti-discrimination laws? What do simple decisions about where to build a road or whether to buy into the carbon economy have to do with Hurricane Katrina or the Fukushima nuclear disaster? How did massive flood control projects on the Mississippi River and New Deal dams on the Columbia River lead to the ubiquity of high fructose corn syrup? And what explains the creation—and continued popularity—of the humble fish stick?In Fish Sticks, Sports Bras, and Aluminum Cans, historian Paul R. Josephson explores the surprising origins, political contexts, and social meanings of ordinary objects. Drawing on archival materials, technical journals, interviews, and field research, this engaging collection of essays reveals the forces that shape (and are shaped by) everyday objects.Ultimately, Josephson suggests that the most familiar and comfortable objects—sugar and aluminum, for example, which are inextricably tied together by their linked history of slavery and colonialism—may have the more astounding and troubling origins. Students of consumer studies and the history of technology, as well as scholars and general readers, will be captivated by Josephson’s insights into the complex relationship between society and technology.“Josephson’s conclusions are guaranteed to make you think of the modern world and its interconnectedness in a different light.” —Cosmos“Every chapter of this book offers surprising insights and is a pleasure to read.” —ICON
Copyright:
2015

Book Details

Book Quality:
Publisher Quality
Book Size:
224 Pages
ISBN-13:
9781421417844
Related ISBNs:
9781421417837
Publisher:
Johns Hopkins University Press
Date of Addition:
Copyrighted By:
Johns Hopkins University Press
Adult content:
No
Language:
English
Has Image Descriptions:
No
Categories:
History, Nonfiction, Literature and Fiction, Business and Finance, Technology, Sociology
Grade Levels:
College Freshman
Submitted By:
Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:
This is a copyrighted book.

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