AnnaSznajder centers this ethnography of gendered creative practice in the lace-making community of Bobowa, Poland. Grounded in rural gender studies and feminist epistemology, Polish Lace Makers: Gender, Heritage, and Identity is a pivotal historical and modern account of the social and economic behaviors of entrepreneurial craftswomen tasked with preserving the originality and symbolic value of lace. Sznajder traces the evolving work strategies and occupational identities of this community from the early 19th nineteenth century up to the modern day, outlining the challenges of World War II, communist rule, and socialist Poland. The case studies included in this account are emulative of the larger struggle of female entrepreneurs to self-manage, innovate, create, and provide for themselves and their families. This book is recommended for scholars of anthropology, sociology, gender studies, and European studies.

This innovative volume challenges contemporary views on material culture by exploring the relationship between wrapping materials and practices and the objects, bodies, and places that define them. Using examples as diverse as baby swaddling, Egyptian mummies, Celtic tombs, lace underwear, textile clothing, and contemporary African silk, the dozen archaeologist and anthropologist contributors show how acts of wrapping and unwrapping are embedded in beliefs and thoughts of a particular time and place. Employing methods of artifact analysis, microscopy, and participant observation, the contributors provide a new lens on material culture and its relationship to cultural meaning.

“UNTIL the Treaty of Versailles the Polish nation was without a country. For more than a century the buffer-state of Central Europe had no representation on the map. Today when the area, population and resources must be recognized and her strategic position taken into account, Poland remains to many people of the Western world merely the name of a country. That is the reason for this book. It is not intended as a history of Poland nor yet is it an exhaustive treatise on the cultural or economic conditions of the country. It is written rather to bring before the reader data and facts about Poland, interesting facts about a country that is both ancient and new; facts about a people whose history goes back to the twilight of fable; facts about a people who left an indelible mark on the pages of European history. “From her earliest days Poland possessed a world of folklore and legends which with her growth as a nation closely united with her history, have become a part of the everyday life of her people. These legends, to some extent, explain the patriotism and love of their country which is one of the chief characteristics of the Poles. “It is the hope of the author that this book will prove as interesting and entertaining to the reader as was his contact with this fascinating country and its people.”

Design Anthropology brings together leading international design theorists, consultants and anthropologists to explore the changing object culture of the 21st century. Decades ago, product designers used basic market research to fine-tune their designs for consumer success. Today the design process has been radically transformed, with the user center-stage in the design process. From design ethnography to culture probing, innovative designers are employing anthropological methods to elicit the meanings rather than the mere form and function of objects. This important volume provides a fascinating exploration of the issues facing the shapers of our increasingly complex material world. The text features case studies and investigations covering a diverse range of academic disciplines. From IKEA and anti-design to erotic twenty-first-century needlework and online interior decoration, the book positions itself at the intersections of design, anthropology, material culture, architecture, and sociology.