Author: Silke Jonk, Masterstudent Delft University of Technology and Leiden University
Msc Thesis - Community repair as a space for emerging circular economy imaginaries
By Silke Jonk
[Full title: An exploratory studie of sociotechnical imaginaries in the repair cafe community in Amsterdam]
This research investigates circular economy imaginaries through the analysis of community repair. The study provides insight in the visions and practices of a bottom-up citizen initiative that go beyond economical and technological prosperity. Through the sociotechnical imaginary concept, this research assesses how citizen initiatives engage with the circular economy at a local level.
Through an embedded case study of the repair cafe community in Amsterdam (the Netherlands) the research focuses on answering the following research question :"How does the repair cafe community in Amsterdam imagine and engage with product repair in the circular economy?". The study combines multiple data collection methods including: interviews, observation, and document analysis.
In conclusion, this research highlights the significance of considering social dimensions within the circular economy framework. While technological and economic aspects are pivotal, they must be balanced with a focus on community engagement, inclusivity, and citizen empowerment. The repair cafe community in Amsterdam serves as a noteworthy example of how bottom-up initiatives can contribute to a more sustainable and resilient future. However, the diversity of motivations and goals among local repair cafes, coupled with the varying degrees of alignment with the Repair Cafe International Foundation, may pose a challenge to the realisation of a unified vision. Stakeholders and policymakers therefore must foster collaboration and facilitate a shared understanding of the repair society’s objectives.
Image credits
Icon image: Repair Cafe - Edwin van Eis - fotobank.amsterdam.nl