Making is Connecting

SECOND UPDATED EDITION, WITH THREE ALL-NEW CHAPTERS

The first edition of Making is Connecting struck a chord with crafters, YouTubers, makers, music producers, artists and coders alike. David Gauntlett argues that through making things, people engage with the world and create connections with each other. Online and offline, we see that people want to make their mark, and to make connections.

This shift from a ‘sit-back-and-be-told culture’ to a ‘making-and-doing culture’ means that a vast array of people are exchanging their own ideas, videos, and other creative material online, as well as engaging in real-world crafts, music projects, and hands-on experiences. Drawing on evidence from psychology, politics, philosophy, and economics, Gauntlett shows that this everyday creative engagement is necessary and essential for the happiness and survival of modern societies.

This fully revised second edition includes many new sections as well as three brand new chapters on creative processes, do-it-yourself strategies, and platforms for creativity.

Acknowledgements

Preamble to the second edition

1. Introduction

2. The meaning of making I: Philosophies of craft

3. The meaning of making II: Craft today

4. The meaning of making III: Digital

5. The value of connecting: Personal happiness and social capital

6. Tools for change

7. Online creativity needs better platforms

8. Making connections and the creative process: From music to everything

9. Doing it yourself: More lessons from music making and connecting

10. Platforms for creativity

11. Conclusion

Notes

Index

‘This updated volume guides us through the twists and turns of a digitally connected society. Whether you're an artist, teacher, parent, scholar, or just interested in digital media today, this book is essential reading.’
Kylie Peppler, Indiana University

‘Sharp, witty, and passionate – Gauntlett has crafted the most vital manifesto for how we can foster powerful and creative communities.’
Simon Lindgren, Umeå University David Gauntlett is Canada Research Chair in the Faculty of Communication and Design, Ryerson University, Toronto. He is the author of several books, and has worked with a number of the world�s leading creative organisations, including the BBC, Tate, and LEGO.