Talk: David Drengk ""From Lakes to Markets: Bicycle Repairers and Fish Trade in Southern Malawi" (Maintenance & Philosophy of Technology SIG Thursday 13th Feb 2025 1800 UTC+1)
Dear All,
We’re pleased to announce the first session of the SPT maintenance and philosophy of technology special interest group for 2025 on Thursday 13th February 18-1915 UTC +1. In this session, we’re excited to welcome David Drengk (Ruhr University Bochum) who’ll be sharing his research exploring the evolution of bicycle repair in Southern Malawi. David Drengk is a historian of technology who specialises in the reciprocal relationship between humans, the natural environment and technology in Southern and Western Africa. If you'd like a zoom link for the talk, please email me at mark@markthomasyoung.net
Best, Mark
"From Lakes to Markets: Bicycle repairers and fish trade in Southern Malawi"
David Drengk (Ruhr University Bochum)
Thursday 13th February 2025 (18-1915 UTC +1)
Abstract: This presentation explores a compelling chapter in the history of bicycles in Nyasaland, later known as Malawi, emphasizing the pivotal role of bicycle repair shops along local fish trade routes in southern colonial Malawi during the first half of the 20th century. During this era, fishing activities in the waters of the British Protectorate of Nyasaland flourished, particularly along the shores of its largest lakes, Lake Nyasa and Lake Chilwa. As the number of fishermen increased, so too did their catches. When bicycles were introduced in the 1890s, they were predominantly used by elite social groups within the colonial administration. However, by the 1930s, bicycles became an essential tool for local fish traders, enabling them to transport their goods to urban markets in the Southern Province. The growth of these trade routes spurred the establishment of bicycle repair stations along the way. Returning migrant workers and soldiers also contributed to this evolution, bringing with them bicycles and financial resources that accelerated the spread of cycling and increased the prominence of repairers and their workshops. This talk examines the intricate relationship between fish traders, the natural landscapes of Lake Chilwa and the Shire River, and bicycles. It shines a spotlight on the vital yet often overlooked contributions of bicycle repairers, placing their practices and stories at the heart of this historical narrative.
(In order to avoid confusion regarding the timing of the talks - the following table clarifies when the talks begin in different locations)
New York: 12:00
San Francisco: 09:00
London: 17:00
Amsterdam: 18:00
Mark Thomas Young Postdoctoral Fellow University of Oslo https://uio.academia.edu/MarkThomasYoung EASST's Eurograd mailing list -- eurograd-easst.net@lists.easst.net Archive: https://lists.easst.net/hyperkitty/list/eurograd-easst.net@lists.easst.net/ Edit your delivery settings there using Account dropdown, Mailman settings. Website: https://easst.net/easst_eurograd/ Meet us on Mastodon: https://assemblag.es/@easst Or X: https://twitter.com/STSeasst
EASST-Eurograd
30 recent messages
- 30/06/2025 TATuP 34/2 (2025) "Beyond short termism" & CfA "Exploring technologies through imaginary worlds"
- 27/06/2025 Full professor in Science and Technology Studies, University of Vienna, deadline 17 September 2025
- 27/06/2025 CfA Funding for Research Sabbaticals (Fellowships) and Working Groups
- 25/06/2025 Reminder: June 27 Community Call: “Mapping Water Care Initiatives in the Americas”
- 25/06/2025 History of the Philosophy of Technology Resource
- 24/06/2025 AAA – Anthropologie & développemen=?utf-8?q?t =E2=80=93 Les formes contemporaines de l=E2=80=99argent=5FCont?= emporary forms of money.
- 23/06/2025 CfP: FOR 2026 - The Future of Open Research
- 20/06/2025 New book on global carcinogen regulation
- 19/06/2025 Realities of Autonomous Weapons / OA book from BUP / Hybrid book release with editors & L.Suchman
- 19/06/2025 Tenure Track positions open in Chile, deadline 07.07
- 19/06/2025 Advertising STS Winter School
- 17/06/2025 Instructions for authors for JAIS Special Issue on Contemporary Innovation in Information Infrastructures.
- 17/06/2025 Call for participation: Preparing Wishes for the Afterlife - Thinking with Death and Legacy in Artistic Practice
- 13/06/2025 Call for a special issue in Futures
- 13/06/2025 Postdoc Position in Sociology of Innovation & Digitalization (JKU Linz)
- 12/06/2025 CfP Workshop "AI x Crisis: Tracing New Directions Beyond Deployment and Use" | Aarhus Conference 2025 (Extended Deadline)
- 12/06/2025 Athena is offering 2 postdocs on mission-oriented innovation for food and health system transitions
- 11/06/2025 [mat-num] June 18 - Mia Bennett, “=?windows-1252?q?Polar frontiers=2C polar orbits=3A The spluttering launch ?= of Arctic commercial spaceports”
- 10/06/2025 CFP: Promises and Conflicts in the Infrastructuring of Agricultural Digitalization
- 10/06/2025 Talk: Aaron Perzanowski "The Law and Policy of Repair" (Maintenance & Philosophy SIG, Thursday June 12th 2025, 18-1915 UTC+1)
- 10/06/2025 FW: Symposium University of Liverpool 18 June 2025: How might be feel problems differently? (Re)thinking the case study methodology in STS
- 09/06/2025 Protocols for Knowing Microbes Otherwise =?utf-8?q?=E2=80=93 Art and practice session at Nordic STS =28Stockholm=2C ?= 11-13 June)
- 09/06/2025 Fully funded 3 y Postdoctoral Researcher =?utf-8?q?=E2=80=9CBuddhist Ethics for a Systemic Answer to the Attention E?= conomy”
- 06/06/2025 Call for Abstracts - ARS'25 (Naples, Italy) - Session on "Technoscientific networks”
- 06/06/2025 Free webinar on anti-microbial resistance June 10th
- 06/06/2025 Getting ready to do fieldwork? Field School in Ethnographic Research Methods
- 06/06/2025 Public Keynote Invitation (European Network for Digital Anthropology)
- 06/06/2025 Jobs: PostDoc & PhD Climate Futures in Digital Cultures, Leuphana University
- 06/06/2025 PostDoc & PhD Position in Climate Futures in Digital Cultures, Leuphana University
- 04/06/2025 Job: PostDoc in Geography, History, and/or Cultural Studies (100%, 60 Months)