Deschooling the Maker Movement: What Does the 21st Century Maker Movement Have to Learn From Ivan Illich's Critiques of Neoliberal Policies in Deschooling Society?

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 29
  In Roundtable Session: Ivan Illich, Conviviality, and Deschooling Society: Urban Gardening, the Maker Movement, and Hospitality in Peer Tutoring

Abstract

Since the mid-2000s the idea of a maker movement has gained popularity. What unites this “movement” is a common focus on fabrication technologies and a language of getting things “done” over lecturing. It can be argued that the maker movement is a realization of Ivan Illich’s “learning webs” -- interest driven networks of tools, skill sharing, peer interactions, and constructive criticism. Yet, there are strong corporate interests in the maker movement that view it as a model for 21st century schooling. What can the maker movement learn from Illich to confront neoliberalization while maintaining its potential for a deschooled vision of learning? To answer this question, we turn to Illich’s engagement with ideas of neoliberal economist Milton Friedman in Deschooling Society.

Authors

• Michael L Lachney, Michigan State University

• Matthew Drazin, Michigan State University