Hashtag

Scholarly Kitchen Object Lessons is a series of short, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things. The #hashtag is a composite creation, with two separate but related design histories, one involving the crosshatch symbol and one about the choice of letters after it.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 160 pages
Publication date: 19 September 2019
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Best Books of 2019—Scholarly Kitchen Object Lessons is a captivating series of short, exquisitely designed books that delve into the hidden worlds of everyday objects. These captivating volumes explore the profound impact of hashtags, both in their ability to amplify voices and silence them. Harnessing their power from the quiet archives and the exhilarating control rooms, hashtags find their voice in the raucous rallies of the streets. The #hashtag, a multifaceted creation, boasts two distinct yet interconnected design histories. One involves the crosshatch symbol, while the other revolves around the selection of letters that follow it. While celebration and criticism of hashtag activism often overlook the hashtag as an object in itself, the story of the hashtag is far more intricate and surprising. It speaks to our evolving understanding of naming, identity, and our place in a world that increasingly blurs the boundaries between human and non-human. Object Lessons is proudly published in partnership with an essay series in The Atlantic, further enriching our understanding of these powerful symbols and their profound implications.

Weight: 152g
Dimension: 121 x 164 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781501344275