Paper long abstract:

Increase of accessibility for 3D Printing, embedded systems or technical knowledge were the main reasons for the recent growth of makers, hackers or tinkering communities. Technological squats, hackerspaces or fab-labs (fabrication laboratories) are founded and developed all over the world. They develop different forms - from open scientific centres, through NGOs and social innovation hubs to independent, underground collectives.

This paper will be a summary of exploratory phase of participant observation and interviews of those communities done in Poland in 2014. It will discuss geographical constraints, different origins and selected projects done in the Polish DIY communities. The paper will also highlight historical actor-networks that are summoned as allies by DIY groups.

Information from the field will be discussed using science circulation model developed by B. Latour and other findings from STS. Results will show how DIY structures mobilize knowledge, became autonomous, relate with governments and public. This preliminary analysis will show similarities and differences in formal and non-formal science and technology groups in Poland.