MAKING MATTERS

Craft is a process-oriented practice that takes seriously the relationships between bodies and makes apparent how these relationships are mired in and informed by power structures. Leigh Gruwell's book Making Matters introduces craft agency, a feminist vision of new materialist rhetorics that enables scholars to identify how power circulates and sometimes stagnates within assemblages of actors and provides tools to rectify that uneven distribution. Craft agency models how humans might work with and alongside things to create more equitable relationships, with an explicitly activist agenda that positions the body itself as a material interface.

Format: Paperback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 15 June 2022
Publisher: COLORADO & UTAH STATE UNI PRES

Craft is a multifaceted and deeply contemplative practice that delves into the intricate connections between human and nonhuman entities, unveiling the profound influence of power structures on these relationships. In her groundbreaking book, "Making Matters," Leigh Gruwell introduces the concept of craft agency, a feminist vision of new materialist rhetorics that empowers scholars to identify and rectify the uneven distribution of power within assemblages of actors. By historicizing and situating the concept of craft within rhetorical and disciplinary histories, Gruwell offers a fresh perspective on new materialist rhetorics, recasting it as inherently crafty.

Through three compelling case studies—craftivism, the fibercraft website Ravelry, and the 2017 Women's March—Gruwell demonstrates how a material, ecological understanding of rhetorical agency can drive political change. Craft agency models the ways in which humans can collaborate with and alongside nonhuman entities, fostering more equitable and sustainable relationships.

One of the key insights of "Making Matters" is that craft is not merely a technique or a method but a way of thinking and being that emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things. By embracing craft agency, scholars are encouraged to view rhetorical action as a product of complex relationships between a network of human and nonhuman actors. This approach challenges traditional notions of agency that prioritize individual or collective actors and instead emphasizes the role of material interfaces and interdependencies in shaping rhetorical outcomes.

Moreover, "Making Matters" advocates for an explicitly activist agenda that positions the body itself as a material interface. Gruwell argues that the body is not just a passive recipient of power but a dynamic agent that can be used to disrupt, challenge, and transform power structures. Through the practice of craft, scholars are empowered to create rhetorics that are not only effective in conveying their messages but also actively engage with and respond to the material world around them.

In conclusion, "Making Matters" is a seminal work that offers a powerful feminist vision of new materialist rhetorics. By historicizing and situating the concept of craft within rhetorical and disciplinary histories, Gruwell empowers scholars to identify and rectify the uneven distribution of power within assemblages of actors. Through the introduction of craft agency, she provides tools for creating rhetorics that are not only effective in conveying messages but also actively engage with and respond to the material world around us. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of rhetoric, power, and the body, and it will undoubtedly inspire future generations of scholars to think and work more critically and creatively.

ISBN-13: 9781646422548