Domestication of Media and Technology

by Thomas Berker

This book provides an overview of a key concept in media and technology studies: domestication. Theories around domestication shed light upon the process in which a technology changes its status from outrageous novelty to an aspect of everyday life which is taken for granted. The contributors collect past, current and future applications of the concept of domestication, critically reflect on its theoretical legacy, and offer comments about further development. The first part of "Domestication of Media and Technology" provides an overview of the conceptual development and theory of domestication. In the second part of the book, contributors look at a diverse range of empirical studies that use the domestication approach to examine the dynamics between users and technologies.These studies include: mobile information and communications technologies (ICTs) and the transformation of the relationship between private and the public spheres; home-based internet use: the two-way dynamic between the household and its social environment; disadvantaged women in Europe undertaking introductory internet courses; and urban middle-class families in China who embrace ICTs and view them as instruments of upward mobility and symbols of success. The book offers valuable insights for both experienced researchers and students looking for an introduction to the concept of domestication. The contributors include: Maria Bakardjieva, University of Calgary; Thomas Berker, Norwegian University of Science and Technology; Leslie Haddon, Essex University; Maren Hartmann, University of Erfurt; Deirdre Hynes, Dublin City University; Sun Sun Lim, National University of Singapore; Anna Maria Russo Lemor, University of Colorado at Boulder; David Morley, Goldsmiths College, University of London; Jo Pierson, TNO-STB, Delft, Netherlands; Yves Punie, Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS) in Seville; Els Rommes, Nijmegen University; Roger Silverstone, London School of Economics and Political Science; Knut H. Sorensen, Norwegian University of Science and Technology; and, Katie J. Ward, University of Sheffield.

255 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2005

Reviews

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this a highly interesting book. Domestication is taken to mean literally bringing inside the home. So not only is it about the evolution of personal tech and how we use it, but the evolution of the interaction of increasingly large numbers of women with tech.

For example, a study looked at mobile phone adoption. The researchers asked people how they got their first mobile. The earliest adopters were generally men, who needed the phone for being contactable by work. The majority of women respondents said their first phone was a gift from a male partner who had a phone, so they could keep in touch.

Similar studies dot the book. The blurb looks quite dense and unreadable, but the book itself is quite easily readable, and could form the basis of articles or essays. The subject will be of interest to anyone studying media, tech, modern living, modern women's issues.
I read this book from the IADT college library. This is an unbiased review.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This edited volume was a perfect blend of overview of the theoretical concept of the domestication of technology (as found in the British Cultural Studies tradition) and new contributions to the theory, including some new case studies, some extensions beyond the home context, and the idea of "triple articulation." It was also pleasant to see so many of the earlier practitionners (Silverstone, Morley, Livingstone) contributing alongside some newer academics. I liked how it was laid out and found nearly every selection worthy of reading. Highly recommended, not only for those who are thinking about how technologies are "domesticated" within homes, but also how they act in the broader context of today's globalized society.

[Ahmed Luqman]

Amazing