The Persistence of Technology: Histories of Repair, Reuse and Disposal

Repair, Reuse And Disposal Are Closely Interlinked Phenomena Related To The Lives And Persistence Of Technologies. When Technical Artefacts Become Old And Outworn, Decisions Have To Be Taken: Is It Necessary, Worthwhile Or Even Possible To Maintain And Repair Or To Reuse Or Dismantle Them - Or Must One Dispose Of Them? These Decisions Depend On Factors Such As The Availability Of Second-hand Markets, Repair Infrastructures And Dismantling Or Disposal Facilities. Telling The Stories Of, Among Others, China's Power Grid, Colombian Roads, American Telephones, German Automobiles And India's Ship Breaking Business, The Contributions In This Volume Stress The Long Lives Of Technologies And Show That Maintenance And Repair Are Not Obsolete In Modern Industries And Consumer Societies. Frontmatter -- Contents -- Preface -- The Persistence Of Technology: -- Rethinking The History Of Repair: -- Maintaining Infrastructures -- Repairing China's Power Grid Amidst Perpetual Warfare, 1937-1955 -- Changing Perceptions Of Repair And Maintenance: -- Business As Usual: -- Users And Repair -- Mud Bricks In A Concrete State: -- Maintaining The Mobility Of Motor Cars: -- Of Buses, Batteries And Breakdowns: -- Reuse And Conservation -- A Bargain Or A Mousetrap? -- Proof Of Life: -- Obsolescence And Disposal -- Mending Or Ending? -- The Persistence Of Ss France: -- Authors Ed. By Heike Weber, Stefan Krebs. Mode Of Access: Internet Via World Wide Web. In English.