Lara Alouan
(Ph.D., Sociology, University of Paris Saclay, France)
Abstract:
To sum up briefly, Hackerspaces are workshops organized with an open community model where people with technological interests can socialize, collaborate, share and expand their knowledge. Hackerspaces advocate more democratic, less formalized and hierarchical way of proceeding, in order to grant more autonomy and responsibility to their members. The interest generated by hackerspaces, as particular places of technological creativity, has spread recently beyond researchers (Lallement, 2015; Davies R., 2017; Berrebi-Hoffman, Bureau, Lallement, 2018). Specifically hacker movement – taken in its general sense of emancipation thought technic and not in its reductive acceptance of informatics piracy (Raymond, 1999 ; Himanen, 2001 ; Mc Kenzie Wark, 2004) – calls for continuous experimentation with alternative forms of working organization. And if these organization forms, based on peer relations, own alternative character, even “capacitable”, do hackerspaces create a new socio-economical paradigm or do they consider/conceal other realities? To answer all these questions, we suggest our research: behind the smooth and enthusiastic facade in which hackerspaces are presented, what are structuring or occurring issues implemented (not only technological, but also social, economic, political terms)? In this contribution, we analyze if and how a focus on sensitization, technological skills and hacking can recreate or overcome reproduction of inequitable power relations at work. The purpose of this communication, based in empirical analysis, is to present four hackerpaces, self-organized, and observed in France from April 2015 to December 2017. Hackerspaces observed are volunteer-run, self-managed, autonomous spaces. Three of them become a hub for hacktivists in an attempt to create and communicate a collective challenge against capitalism and defend their vision based on open access, horizontal collaboration, self-management coordination and the free circulation of information.
Lara Alouan received her doctorate from University Of Paris Saclay, in November 2018, in France. She joined Sociology and Economics of Networks and Services at Orange Labs. Since 2017, she has been involved with French Association of Sociology (AFS) as a member of RT 25 committee (Research Network related to Labour market, Employment and organization).