Working the Fabric: Resourcefulness, Belonging and Island Life in Scotland's Harris Tweed Industry

by Joana Nascimento

Overview

Trademark-protected since 1910, the famous woollen cloth known as Harris Tweed can only be produced in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland – yet it is exported to over 50 countries around the world. Examining contemporary experiences of work and life, this book is the first in-depth anthropological study of the renowned textile industry, complementing and updating existing historical and ethnographic research. Drawing on one year of ethnographic fieldwork research in the Outer Hebrides, it offers an intimate account of industry workers’ lived experiences and contributes to anthropological debates on work and labour, cultural production, inclusive belonging and place-making in global capitalism.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781800738829
Publisher:	Berghahn Books
Publication date:	04/14/2023
Series:	Anthropology at Work , #4
Pages:	236
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Joana Nascimento is a social anthropologist based at the University of Cambridge, where she works as a postdoctoral teaching and research associate. Her research explores the social, cultural and political-economic complexities of contemporary work and livelihood strategies.

Table of Contents

List of Figures
Acknowledgments
Note on Pseudonyms
List of Abbreviations

Introduction: Working the Fabric

Chapter 1. Where Harris Tweed is Made: ‘Remoteness’, Resourcefulness and Island Life
Chapter 2. Following the Tweed Van: Road Stories, Productive Encounters, and Local Experiences of a Global Industry
Chapter 3. In the Loom Shed: Time, Work and Value in Harris Tweed Weaving
Chapter 4. Weaving Lives and Livelihoods: Uncertainty, Anticipation and Personal Narratives
Chapter 5. Manufacturing Repertoires: Production, ‘Heritage’ and Place-Making

Conclusion: ‘Finishing’ as a New Beginning

References
Index

Editorial Reviews

“This book is a beautifully-crafted ethnography of the multiple and complex meanings of weaving among those involved in the Harris Tweed industry. The book takes the central concept of 'work' but expands it through both ethnography and theory.” • Magnus Course, University of Edinburgh

“This is an excellent book … It is a smart and refreshing contribution to the anthropology of work and labour, showing the importance of place and place-making in the production of a global commodity. I wish more academic books were written in the same jargon-free and engaging style.” • Rebecca Prentice, University of Sussex

From the Publisher