Working the Fabric

Joana Nascimento is a social anthropologist based at the University of Cambridge, where she works as a postdoctoral teaching and research associate. Her research explores the social, cultural and political-economic complexities of contemporary work and livelihood strategies.

“Nascimento provides a lively and ethnographically rich account of how this iconic fashion product is made and what it means for those who produce it.” • Exertions“This book is a beautifully-crafted ethnography of the multiple and complex meanings of weaving among those involved in the Harris Tweed industry. The book takes the central concept of 'work' but expands it through both ethnography and theory.” • Magnus Course, University of Edinburgh“This is an excellent book … It is a smart and refreshing contribution to the anthropology of work and labour, showing the importance of place and place-making in the production of a global commodity. I wish more academic books were written in the same jargon-free and engaging style.” • Rebecca Prentice, University of Sussex

• List of FiguresAcknowledgmentsNote on PseudonymsList of AbbreviationsIntroduction: Working the FabricChapter 1. Where Harris Tweed is Made: ‘Remoteness’, Resourcefulness and Island LifeChapter 2. Following the Tweed Van: Road Stories, Productive Encounters, and Local Experiences of a Global IndustryChapter 3. In the Loom Shed: Time, Work and Value in Harris Tweed WeavingChapter 4. Weaving Lives and Livelihoods: Uncertainty, Anticipation and Personal NarrativesChapter 5. Manufacturing Repertoires: Production, ‘Heritage’ and Place-MakingConclusion: ‘Finishing’ as a New BeginningReferencesIndex