Craft—Tradition and Invention

This book is an anthology of essays exploring craft production across diverse cultures. More than a celebration of individual artisanship, it responds to a world in flux—where education, employment, and climate are undergoing rapid transformation. As the Fourth Industrial Revolution reshapes economies through emerging technologies, this book underscores the urgent need to redefine craft education. It advocates for craft training that supports both cultural preservation and future employment, aligning with UNESCO’s 2024 report on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), which calls for enhanced global skills development. With 28 essays from 22 countries, the volume offers rich, practice-based insights into how crafts can be taught and sustained. Many contributors share personal stories of their own practices, presenting pathways for formal and informal learning that blend traditional techniques with modern innovations. By aligning craft education with UNESCO’s TVET recommendations, this book shows how crafts can offer viable, sustainable professions. It champions the value of skills transmission, cultural relevance, and entrepreneurship in the craft sector. Amid increasing cultural exchange and global uncertainty, many artisans turn to tradition for stability. Their voices in this volume express concerns about the erosion of heritage—and the need to actively safeguard it. These essays show how craft not only preserves culture but also strengthens communities, supports wellbeing, and fosters meaningful human connection. Craft – Tradition and Invention is an essential resource — where tradition meets transformation, and where craft education becomes a vital force for social and environmental change. Craft, as revealed here, is not only the making of things—it is the making of resilient, connected, and sustainable futures and a pathway to relevance, and renewal. Moving beyond admiration for the handmade, this volume engages deeply with the cultural, economic, and educational shifts shaping the future of work and creativity.