Synopses & Reviews
andlt;Pandgt;Decades before the Internet, ham radio provided instantaneous, global, person-to-person communication. Hundreds of thousands of amateur radio operators--a predominantly male, middle- and upper-class group known as "hams"--built and operated two-way radios for recreation in mid twentieth century America. In Ham Radio's Technical Culture, Kristen Haring examines why so many men adopted the technical hobby of ham radio from the 1930s through 1970s and how the pastime helped them form identity and community.Ham radio required solitary tinkering with sophisticated electronics equipment, often isolated from domestic activities in a "radio shack," yet the hobby thrived on fraternal interaction. Conversations on the air grew into friendships, and hams gathered in clubs or met informally for "eyeball contacts." Within this community, hobbyists developed distinct values and practices with regard to radio, creating a particular "technical culture." Outsiders viewed amateur radio operators with a mixture of awe and suspicion, impressed by hams' mastery of powerful technology but uneasy about their contact with foreigners, especially during periods of political tension.Drawing on a wealth of personal accounts found in radio magazines and newsletters and from technical manuals, trade journals, and government documents, Haring describes how ham radio culture rippled through hobbyists' lives. She explains why hi-tech employers recruited hams and why electronics manufacturers catered to these specialty customers. She discusses hams' position within the military and civil defense during World War II and the Cold War as well as the effect of the hobby on family dynamics. By considering ham radio in the context of other technical hobbies--model building, photography, high-fidelity audio, and similar leisure pursuits--Haring highlights the shared experiences of technical hobbyists. She shows that tinkerers influenced attitudes toward technology beyond hobby communities, enriching the general technical culture by posing a vital counterpoint.andlt;/Pandgt;
Review
"Haring provides a fascinating interpretation of ham radio as 'a socially sanctioned escape' for men within the home." Douglas Craig Technology and Culture The MIT Press
Review
Although approximately one million Americans operated ham radios in the course of the 20th century, very little has been written about this thriving technical culture in our midst. Kristen Haring offers a deeply sympathetic history of this under-appreciated technical community and their role in contributing to American advances in science and technology, especially the electronics industry. In the process she reveals how technical tinkering has defined manhood in the United States and has powerfully constituted 'technical identities' with often utopian, even, at times, revolutionary, notions about the social uses of technology. The MIT Press
Review
Kristen Haring has written a valentine to the ham radio community.... [The book] situates radio hobbyists not only in the technological realm but within the worlds of work and home, as consumers and as contributors to civil defense. Emily Thompson, Professor of History, Princeton University
Review
"This book will help us better understand ourselves." William Klykylo (WA8FOZ) CQ Magazine The MIT Press
Review
andquot;Haring provides a fascinating interpretation of ham radio as 'a socially sanctioned escape' for men within the home.andquot;
andmdash; Douglas Craig, Technology and Culture
Review
"Haring's book is a nuanced and elegantly written cultural history that throws new light on the complex relations among masculinity, domesticity, emotional connection to technology, and American technical culture."--Donald MacKenzie, School of Social and Political Studies, University of Edinburgh
Review
Drawing on archive material, Haring composes an account as interesting to the historian of technology as to the cultural geographer with interests in concepts of home, leisure, masculinity and technology...Haring succinctly captures the hidden world of the radio ham, adding a charming dimension to cultural geography's current fascination with more advanced scientific and technical cultures. Gil McElroy - QST magazine
Review
"With its detailed and interesting analysis of the interaction between technical cultures and technical identities, [this book] makes an important contribution to technology studies. It is highly recommended to anyone interested in the complicated interactions between technology, culture, and society."
— Sungook Hong, Isis"Kristen Haring has written a valentine to the ham radio community.... [The book] situates radio hobbyists not only in the technological realm but within the worlds of work and home, as consumers and as contributors to civil defense."
— Michele Hilmes, The Wilson Quarterly"In this engaging study, [Haring] has constructed the story of a particular (and peculiar) technology and the cultish, fraternity-like following that sustained it for decades."
— Reena Jana, Bookforum"Chapters dealing with the historical relationships between manufacturers of radio equipment and amateurs (in which Haring includes an examination of the significance of the kit building phenomenon upon the development of Amateur Radio); the role played by amateurs within technical professions in what Haring calls a 'complicated hybrid identity' that pitted professional affiliation against amateur individualism; and the ways in which Amateur Radio fought for and preserved its place in American society during the Cold War and Vietnam—all are well worth the reading for the fascinating historical picture they present."
— Gil McElroy, QST magazine"This book will help us better understand ourselves."
— William Klykylo (WA8FOZ), CQ Magazine"An engaging and thoughtful history of a complex technical hobby...This work succeeds both technically for the ham operator and analytically for the folklorist...It's a rich source, a smart analysis and a wealth of information."
— Yvonne Milspaw and Douglas Evans (K3DRE), Western Folklore"Virtually every article I've ever read about amateur radio by a journalist or researcher 'outside' the hobby has been riddled with inaccuracies, misunderstandings, and mangled terminology. But Haring has us nailed. [...] Her account is accurate in even the most subtle details only an insider would know."
— Mark Johns (K0MDJ), Resource Center for Cyberculture Studies"...an insightful historical exploration into the emergence and continued viability of ham radio over the course of the past eight decades."
— Amanda R. Keeler, Resource Center for Cyberculture Studies"Drawing on archive material, Haring composes an account as interesting to the historian of technology as to the cultural geographer with interests in concepts of home, leisure, masculinity and technology...Haring succinctly captures the hidden world of the radio ham, adding a charming dimension to cultural geography’s current fascination with more advanced scientific and technical cultures."
— Hilary Geoghegan, Cultural Geographies"Haring provides a fascinating interpretation of ham radio as 'a socially sanctioned escape' for men within the home."
— Douglas Craig, Technology and Culture"Although approximately one million Americans operated ham radios in the course of the 20th century, very little has been written about this thriving technical culture in our midst. Kristen Haring offers a deeply sympathetic history of this under-appreciated technical community and their role in contributing to American advances in science and technology, especially the electronics industry. In the process she reveals how technical tinkering has defined manhood in the United States and has powerfully constituted 'technical identities' with often utopian, even, at times, revolutionary, notions about the social uses of technology."
—Susan Douglas, Catherine Neafie Kellogg Professor of Communication Studies, University of Michigan, and author of Listening In: Radio and the American Imagination"Haring's book is a nuanced and elegantly written cultural history that throws new light on the complex relations among masculinity, domesticity, emotional connection to technology, and American technical culture."
—Donald MacKenzie, School of Social and Political Studies, University of Edinburgh"Kristen Haring has constructed an engaging account of ham radio culture in mid-twentieth-century America. In so doing, she illuminates how people assign meaning to—and identify with—technologies of all kinds, thus her book will be of value to all students of technological culture."
—Emily Thompson, Professor of History, Princeton University
Review
"Exploring with great subtlety the hidden history of a major weapon system, Mort adds a new moral and political dimension to the sociology of technology."--Donald MacKenzie, School of Social and Political Studies, University of Edinburgh
Review
"The relationships between technologies and their users are intimate and important. This fine collection of essays will engage readers in fields as diverse as sociology of technology, cultural history and marketing."--Donald MacKenzie, School of Social and Political Studies, University of Edinburgh
Review
"...an insightful historical exploration into the emergence and continued viability of ham radio over the course of the past eight decades." Amanda R. Keeler Resource Center for Cyberculture Studies The MIT Press
Review
Chapters dealing with the historical relationships between manufacturers of radio equipment and amateurs (in which Haring includes an examination of the significance of the kit building phenomenon upon the development of Amateur Radio); the role played by amateurs within technical professions in what Haring calls a 'complicated hybrid identity' that pitted professional affiliation against amateur individualism; and the ways in which Amateur Radio fought for and preserved its place in American society during the Cold War and Vietnamall are well worth the reading for the fascinating historical picture they present. Amanda R. Keeler, Resource Center for Cyberculture Studies
Review
In this engaging study, [Haring] has constructed the story of a particular (and peculiar) technology and the cultish, fraternity-like following that sustained it for decades. Douglas Craig - Technology and Culture
Review
Kristen Haring has constructed an engaging account of ham radio culture in mid-twentieth-century America. In so doing, she illuminates how people assign meaning to and identify with technologies of all kinds, thus her book will be of value to all students of technological culture. Reena Jana - Bookforum
Review
With its detailed and interesting analysis of the interaction between technical cultures and technical identities, [this book] makes an important contribution to technology studies. It is highly recommended to anyone interested in the complicated interactions between technology, culture, and society. William Klykylo (WA8FOZ) - CQ Magazine
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"Although approximately one million Americans operated ham radios in the course of the 20th century, very little has been written about this thriving technical culture in our midst. Kristen Haring offers a deeply sympathetic history of this under-appreciated technical community and their role in contributing to American advances in science and technology, especially the electronics industry. In the process she reveals how technical tinkering has defined manhood in the United States and has powerfully constituted 'technical identities' with often utopian, even, at times, revolutionary, notions about the social uses of technology." Susan Douglas, Catherine Neafie Kellogg Professor of Communication Studies, University of Michigan, and author of Listening In: Radio and the American Imaginationandlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"...an insightful historical exploration into the emergence and continued viability of ham radio over the course of the past eight decades." Amanda R. Keeler Resource Center for Cyberculture Studiesandlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"Chapters dealing with the historical relationships between manufacturers of radio equipment and amateurs (in which Haring includes an examination of the significance of the kit building phenomenon upon the development of Amateur Radio); the role played by amateurs within technical professions in what Haring calls a 'complicated hybrid identity' that pitted professional affiliation against amateur individualism; and the ways in which Amateur Radio fought for and preserved its place in American society during the Cold War and Vietnamall are well worth the reading for the fascinating historical picture they present." andlt;Bandgt;Gil McElroy andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;Iandgt;QST magazineandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"Drawing on archive material, Haring composes an account as interesting to the historian of technology as to the cultural geographer with interests in concepts of home, leisure, masculinity and technology...Haring succinctly captures the hidden world of the radio ham, adding a charming dimension to cultural geography's current fascination with more advanced scientific and technical cultures." andlt;Bandgt;Hilary Geoghegan andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;Iandgt;Cultural Geographiesandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"Haring provides a fascinating interpretation of ham radio as 'a socially sanctioned escape' for men within the home." andlt;Bandgt;Douglas Craig andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;Iandgt;Technology and Cultureandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"In this engaging study, [Haring] has constructed the story of a particular (and peculiar) technology and the cultish, fraternity-like following that sustained it for decades." andlt;Bandgt;Reena Jana andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;Iandgt;Bookforumandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"Kristen Haring has constructed an engaging account of ham radio culture in mid-twentieth-century America. In so doing, she illuminates how people assign meaning toand identify withtechnologies of all kinds, thus her book will be of value to all students of technological culture." andlt;Bandgt;Emily Thompson andlt;/Bandgt;, Professor of History, Princeton Universityandlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"Kristen Haring has written a valentine to the ham radio community.... [The book] situates radio hobbyists not only in the technological realm but within the worlds of work and home, as consumers and as contributors to civil defense." andlt;Bandgt;Michele Hilmes andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;Iandgt;The Wilson Quarterlyandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"This book will help us better understand ourselves." andlt;Bandgt;William Klykylo (WA8FOZ) andlt;/Bandgt; andlt;Iandgt;CQ Magazineandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"With its detailed and interesting analysis of the interaction between technical cultures and technical identities, [this book] makes an important contribution to technology studies. It is highly recommended to anyone interested in the complicated interactions between technology, culture, and society." Sungook Hong Isisandlt;/Pandgt;
Review
...an insightful historical exploration into the emergence and continued viability of ham radio over the course of the past eight decades. Susan Douglas, Catherine Neafie Kellogg Professor of Communication Studies, University of Michigan, and author of < i=""> Listening In: Radio and the American Imagination <>
Review
Haring provides a fascinating interpretation of ham radio as 'a socially sanctioned escape' for men within the home. Hilary Geoghegan - Cultural Geographies
Review
This book will help us better understand ourselves. Michele Hilmes - The Wilson Quarterly
Synopsis
A history of ham radio culture: how ham radio enthusiasts formed identity and community through their technical hobby, from the 1930s through the Cold War.
Decades before the Internet, ham radio provided instantaneous, global, person-to-person communication. Hundreds of thousands of amateur radio operators -- a predominantly male, middle- and upper-class group known as "hams" -- built and operated two-way radios for recreation in mid twentieth century America. In Ham Radio's Technical Culture, Kristen Haring examines why so many men adopted the technical hobby of ham radio from the 1930s through 1970s and how the pastime helped them form identity and community.
Ham radio required solitary tinkering with sophisticated electronics equipment, often isolated from domestic activities in a "radio shack," yet the hobby thrived on fraternal interaction. Conversations on the air grew into friendships, and hams gathered in clubs or met informally for "eyeball contacts." Within this community, hobbyists developed distinct values and practices with regard to radio, creating a particular "technical culture." Outsiders viewed amateur radio operators with a mixture of awe and suspicion, impressed by hams' mastery of powerful technology but uneasy about their contact with foreigners, especially during periods of political tension.
Drawing on a wealth of personal accounts found in radio magazines and newsletters and from technical manuals, trade journals, and government documents, Haring describes how ham radio culture rippled through hobbyists' lives. She explains why hi-tech employers recruited hams and why electronics manufacturers catered to these specialty customers. She discusses hams' position within the military and civil defense during World War II and the Cold War as well as the effect of the hobby on family dynamics. By considering ham radio in the context of other technical hobbies -- model building, photography, high-fidelity audio, and similar leisure pursuits -- Haring highlights the shared experiences of technical hobbyists. She shows that tinkerers influenced attitudes toward technology beyond hobby communities, enriching the general technical culture by posing a vital counterpoint.
Synopsis
A history of ham radio culture: how ham radio enthusiasts formed identity and community through their technical hobby, from the 1930s through the Cold War.
Synopsis
Decades before the Internet, ham radio provided instantaneous, global, person-to-person communication. Hundreds of thousands of amateur radio operators (a predominantly male, middle- and upper-class group known as hams) built and operated two-way radios for recreation in mid twentieth century America. In
Ham Radio's Technical Culture, Kristen Haring examines why so many men adopted the technical hobby of ham radio from the 1930s through 1970s and how the pastime helped them form identity and community. Ham radio required solitary tinkering with sophisticated electronics equipment, often isolated from domestic activities in a radio shack, yet the hobby thrived on fraternal interaction. Conversations on the air grew into friendships, and hams gathered in clubs or met informally for "eyeball" contacts. Within this community, hobbyists developed distinct values and practices with regard to radio, creating a particular technical culture. Outsiders viewed amateur radio operators with a mixture of awe and suspicion, impressed by hams' mastery of powerful technology but uneasy about their contact with foreigners, especially during periods of political tension.
Drawing on a wealth of personal accounts found in radio magazines and newsletters and from technical manuals, trade journals, and government documents, Haring describes how ham radio culture rippled through hobbyists' lives. She explains why hi-tech employers recruited hams and why electronics manufacturers catered to these specialty customers. She discusses hams' position within the military and civil defense during World War II and the Cold War as well as the effect of the hobby on family dynamics. By considering ham radio in the context of other technical hobbies (model building, photography, high-fidelity audio, and similar leisure pursuits)Haring highlights the shared experiences of technical hobbyists. She shows that tinkerers influenced attitudes toward technology beyond hobby communities, enriching the general technical culture by posing a vital counterpoint.
Synopsis
Decades before the Internet, ham radio provided instantaneous, global, person-to-person communication. Hundreds of thousands of amateur radio operators--a predominantly male, middle- and upper-class group known as hams--built and operated two-way radios for recreation in mid twentieth century America. In
About the Author
Kristen Haring is Assistant Professor of History at Auburn University. She holds degrees in mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a PhD in history of science from Harvard University. Haring's work has been recognized by the Society for the History of Technology, which awarded her the IEEE Life Members' Prize in Electrical History for portions of Ham Radio's Technical Culture. She has served on the board of directors of the Keith Haring Foundation since its creation by her brother in 1989.