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Fabricating Futures and the Movement of Objects

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  • Thomas Birtchnell
  • John Urry

Abstract

This paper assesses possible futures concerning so-called 3D printing in relation to socio-technical systems and consumption and production. Drawing on an Economic and Social Research Council funded project, the paper details the results of research exploring possible futures of the manufacturing industry and impacts upon the transport of objects. Such 'printing', or 'personal fabrication', could permit many objects to be produced near to or even by consumers themselves on just-in-time 'printing' machines. Widely known about in engineering and design, the impacts of these technologies on social practices and transport have yet to be much examined by social science. These technologies may become as ubiquitous as networked computers, with consequences just as significant. The paper reports on this recent research that seeks to understand some economic, social and environmental implications of what may be a major new socio-technical system currently in the making and which might have major consequences for the trajectory of the twenty-first century.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Birtchnell & John Urry, 2013. "Fabricating Futures and the Movement of Objects," Mobilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(3), pages 388-405, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:rmobxx:v:8:y:2013:i:3:p:388-405
    DOI: 10.1080/17450101.2012.745697
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Christian Marazzi, 2011. "The Violence of Financial Capitalism," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 2, volume 1, number 1584351020, December.
    2. Jagdish Bhagwati & Alan S. Blinder, 2009. "Offshoring of American Jobs: What Response from U.S. Economic Policy?," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262013320 edited by Benjamin M. Friedman, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Georgi V. Georgiev & Vijayakumar Nanjappan, 2023. "Sustainability Considerations in Digital Fabrication Design Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-15, January.
    2. Frédéric Thiesse & Marco Wirth & Hans-Georg Kemper & Michelle Moisa & Dominik Morar & Heiner Lasi & Frank Piller & Peter Buxmann & Letizia Mortara & Simon Ford & Tim Minshall, 2015. "Economic Implications of Additive Manufacturing and the Contribution of MIS," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 57(2), pages 139-148, April.
    3. Alejandro Aristi Capetillo & Fredric Bauer & Cristina Chaminade, 2023. "Emerging Technologies Supporting the Transition to a Circular Economy in the Plastic Materials Value Chain," Circular Economy and Sustainability,, Springer.
    4. Sohail Ahmed Soomro & Hernan Casakin & Georgi V. Georgiev, 2021. "Sustainable Design and Prototyping Using Digital Fabrication Tools for Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-17, January.

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