Connecting rural change and local crafts: rebranding sock knitting in Yenikaraagaç

Abstract

Rural development literature has demonstrated that in modem times, farming alone is usually unable to provide sufficient returns to develop a rural economy and keep the processes of outmigration and aging of the rural population in check. The development of non-farm activities such as small-scale industries, handicrafts, and rural tourism has been recognized as an indispensable method of providing relatively sufficient income to villagers, preventing rural exodus, and maintaining a lively village culture which combines contemporary practices with time-honored traditions. Based on a fieldwork in the village of Yenikaraagac (located near the city of Bursa in western Turkey) and the outreach postcard project connecting the village to urban areas, we argue that design-based approaches can expand the audience of local craft practices and contribute to rural development. This argument is supported by our examination of the historical trajectory and current state of sock knitting in Yenikaraagag. The postcard project, which connects sock knitting in the village to other areas, is an example of how designerly approaches present the potential of local crafts to maintain dignified livelihoods in rural Turkey.