The Repair Shop as a Sign of the Cultural Resurgence of Craft and Manual Work

Authors

  • Terry Hyland a:1:{s:5:"en_US";s:26:"Free University of Ireland";}

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14738/assrj.84.9894

Keywords:

vocational studies, craftworking, handwork, the repair shop, bridging the academic/vocational divide

Abstract

Given the low standing of vocational studies in English education and other systems around the world at the present time, it is refreshing to note the resurgence of interest in craft and manual work.  The currently popular BBC programme, The Repair Shop, is a celebration of this renewed interest and offers an especially graphic representation of the virtues and values of craft and handwork.  It is suggested that such example of cultural practice can help towards the enhancement of vocational education and training in schools and colleges, and assist in bridging of the divisions between academic and vocational studies at all levels of education systems.

References

[1] House of Commons Education Committee (2014) Underachievement in Education by White Working Class Children (London, The Stationery Office Ltd.)
[2] House of Lords Select Committee on Social Mobility (2016) Overlooked and Left Behind: Improving the Transition from School to Work for the Majority of Young People (London, The Stationery Office Ltd)
[3] Crawford, Matthew B. (2009). Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work (New York, Penguin Press)
[4] Edmonds, D. & Warburton, N. (eds)(2016) Big Ideas in Social Science (London, Sage)
[5] The Repair Shop https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000sdjk/the-repair-shop-series-6-episode-12 . Launched first in 2017, the show now has 2 million regular viewers and – in the opinion of Stephen Fry and other commentators – is the best show on television. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7292939/How-Repair-Shop-surprise-hit-BBC.html
[6] Marchand, Trevor H.J. (Ed)(2016). Craftwork as Problem Solving. (Farnham, Ashgate)
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[9] ] Dewey, J.(1916/1966).Democracy and Education. (New York, Free Press)
[10] Rebecca Nicholson (2020). The repair shop review – is there a lovelier show on TV?. The Guardian, 25.11.20; https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/nov/25/the-repair-shop-review-is-there-a-lovelier-show-on-tv
[11] Jonathan Owen. (2018). England has lost its way in vocational education. Times Educational Supplement; 24/4/2018
https://www.tes.com/news/england-has-lost-its-way-vocational-education-warns-new-report
[12] UNESCO-UNEVOC (2018). Improving the Image of TVET: Making TVET Attractive to Youth. (Bonn, Germany, UNESCO)
[13] Philip Oltermann (2019). Germany re-introduces meister qualification for master craftspeople. The Guardian, 13/12/19
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/13/german-craftspeople-now-require-meister-qualification-to-start-business
[14] Oppenheimer, T.(2019). The Future is Handmade. (https://craftsmanship.net/the-future-is-handmade/) accessed 18/1/21

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Published

2021-04-01

How to Cite

Hyland, T. (2021). The Repair Shop as a Sign of the Cultural Resurgence of Craft and Manual Work. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(3), 459–466. https://doi.org/10.14738/assrj.84.9894