Globalization and the predicament of the artisan/technologist

 H.H. Günhan Danışman

In spite of some significant contributions made by modern science and technology within the last century to the betterment of the living conditions in the developing world, the globalization of the industrial process, however, has affected the professional life of the artisan/technologist adversely and caused severe environmental crisis, as well as the end of the ways of practicing many traditional arts and crafts. An oral history project being conducted in Cilicia, Thrace and the city of Istanbul has been trying to illustrate the predicament of the artisan/technologist in the face of the growing globalization of the industrial process. Four such interviews with different craftsmen are being summarized:

 Key words: artisan, craftsman, technologist, industrialisation, globalization, wheel-wright, blacksmith, thinker, master mechanical watch, oral history; Anahtar sözcükler: zanaatkâr, teknoloji ustası, endüstrileşme, küreselleşme, tekerlekçi, demirci, kalaycı, mekanik saatçi, sözlü tarih.