Paper short abstract:

'Fab Lab’ makerspaces in the global north appear to struggle to enact the ideology of democratizing technologies. The paper details how material elements in Labs symbolize successes and compromises in everyday practice, based on longitudinal empirical study and Symbolic Interactionist analysis.

Paper long abstract:

'Fab Labs' are a distinct form of makerspace for digital fabrication communities whose discourse espouses the democratization of technologies and open access to all. However, empirical study reveals the struggles Labs in the global north face when enacting ideology. This is most apparent when examining materials and objects in the Lab: things and space arrangements symbolize aspects of ideology and are partial material realizations of Labs' imaginary. However, they also represent compromises when Labs encounter structural constraints, when the 'revolution' meets the mundane. Actors in Fab Labs therefore often appear unaware of whose industrial revolution they are promoting: the theme of this special track. The paper is based on Symbolic Interactionist analysis in a longitudinal ethnographic study conducted during the author's doctoral research. The main data set is based on one Fab Lab; it is cross-compared with data gathered in 10-15 other Fab Labs, mainly in northern Europe. The paper's main contribution is the articulation of two interrelated dynamics: first, how ideology is enacted and materialized in tangible objects is illustrated with empirical examples, but also shown is how unintended breaches of ideology are materialized. Secondly the paper examines how the imaginary obfuscates material consequences of maker activity such as toxicity or high energy consumption. The findings have implications regarding the socio-environmental benefits the maker movement is purported to deliver. There are also implications for how STS studies can draw attention to negative impacts before they become configured as infrastructure for future practices in these counter-communities.