BACKGROUND READING

Overview

If you are intending to come to the conference, or need persuading, the material here might be helpful. Even if you cannot come to the conference you might enjoy rummaging around. This section will get much bigger as time goes on and will doubtless outlast the conference.

We have split the material up into chunks, as follows:

Defining RT2.0

This document attempts to characterise RT 2.0 more or less objectively, as opposed to leaving it to define itself by examples, as was the case with RT 1.0. This was written by the organisers specifically for the conference.

Contentious issues

This item lists a number of issues which the organisers hope will be addressed during the conference. Resolution is not expected, but these matters need to be discussed.

Comments on RT 1.0

These have been sent spontaneously by various contacts and indicate the effect that RT 1.0 (and Undercurrents) had in its day.

Philosophy of RT

These are essays of various lengths written by Peter Harper over many years, between 1972 (!) and the present. They are the views of a reflective practitioner rather than a detached scholar, but could have a bearing on many of the debates in the conference.

Reflections on EDAT

EDAT was an important undergraduate course in ‘Engineering Design and Appropriate Technology’ at the University of Warwick. Recently there was a reunion of old students and some were moved to write reminiscences. Appropriate Technology is a synonym of, or at least a close cousin to, Radical Technology, so these reflections are apropos. A fascinating collection that we hope will grow.

Other essays

This is a likely to be a rapidly-growing collection of essays we have thought relevant to the conference, which will doubtless need cataloguing before long.