Bushpunk and the Future of Africa

In the United States, a burgeoning DIY movement is a reaction to the easy, cheap flow of factory-made goods that have come to signify a world of waste and exploitation. The great majority of American tinkerers, weavers, hackers, beaders, potters and knitters are in it for recreation, not subsistence — vastly different impulses from those who practice DIY in sub-Saharan Africa.
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PHOTO BY MILTON ROGOVIN

The Poetry of Simplicity

Milton Rogovin, from series on Chile, 1967.
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THE EDITORS

Getting Something Done in D.C.

President Lyndon Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act in the presence of Martin Luther King, Jr., and other civil rights leaders, Capitol Rotunda, Washington, D.C., August 6, 1965. Courtesy U.S. National Archives.
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JOHN THACKARA

The Gram Junkies: In Transportation Design the Key Issue Is Not Speed, but Weight

Gram junkies are those fanatical hikers and climbers who fret about every gram of weight that might be carried — in everything from titanium cook pans to toothbrush covers. Excess weight is not just an objective performance issue for these guys; they take it personally. In the matter of mobility and modern transportation, we all need to become gram junkies.
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CHANGE OBSERVER: PROJECT ARCHIVE

Roudha Center

Report on Roudha Center, a proposal for a one-stop hub for Qatari women to learn the nuts and bolts of launching a business
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UPCOMING CONFERENCE: JANUARY 22, 2011

Compostmodern

This interdisciplinary conference brings together designers, manufacturers and business leaders to address questions from a design point of view about what makes a socially and ecologically responsible society.

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RECENT BOOKS RECEIVED

Design Driven Innovation: Changing the Rules of Competition by Radically Innovating What Things Mean
Roberto Verganti

Getting to Plan B: Breaking Through to a Better Business Model
John Mullins & Randy Komisar

A Fine Line: How Design Strategies Are Shaping the Future of Business
Hartmut Esslinger


WEEKLY EMAIL: JANUARY 20, 2011
FEATURED THIS WEEK : JULIE LASKY Bushpunk and the Future of Africa In the United States, a burgeoning DIY movement is a reaction to the easy, cheap flow of factory-made goods that have come to signify a world of waste and exploitation. The great majority of American tinkerers, weavers, hackers, beaders, potters and knitters are in it for recreation, not subsistence — vastly different impulses from those who practice DIY in sub-Saharan Africa. READ MORE
PHOTO BY MILTON ROGOVIN The Poetry of Simplicity Milton Rogovin, from series on Chile, 1967. READ MORE THE EDITORS Getting Something Done in D.C. President Lyndon Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act in the presence of Martin Luther King, Jr., and other civil rights leaders, Capitol Rotunda, Washington, D.C., August 6, 1965. Courtesy U.S. National Archives. READ MORE JOHN THACKARA The Gram Junkies: In Transportation Design the Key Issue Is Not Speed, but Weight Gram junkies are those fanatical hikers and climbers who fret about every gram of weight that might be carried — in everything from titanium cook pans to toothbrush covers. Excess weight is not just an objective performance issue for these guys; they take it personally. In the matter of mobility and modern transportation, we all need to become gram junkies. READ MORE		BECOME A FAN ON FACEBOOK \| FOLLOW US ON TWITTER CHANGE OBSERVER: PROJECT ARCHIVE Roudha Center Report on Roudha Center, a proposal for a one-stop hub for Qatari women to learn the nuts and bolts of launching a business READ MORE UPCOMING CONFERENCE: JANUARY 22, 2011 Compostmodern This interdisciplinary conference brings together designers, manufacturers and business leaders to address questions from a design point of view about what makes a socially and ecologically responsible society. Other Resources Academic Programs >> Competitions >> Conferences & Events >> Fellowships & Prizes >> Organizations >> Programs & Initiatives >> Publications & Websites >> Social Networks >> RECENT BOOKS RECEIVED Design Driven Innovation: Changing the Rules of Competition by Radically Innovating What Things Mean Roberto Verganti Getting to Plan B: Breaking Through to a Better Business Model John Mullins & Randy Komisar A Fine Line: How Design Strategies Are Shaping the Future of Business Hartmut Esslinger
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