The Lab Book

More about the book

This work presents a practical method for understanding the diverse environments known as "labs," ranging from the expansive "Big Science" of Bell Laboratories to more niche spaces like séance chambers and neighborhood makerspaces. It addresses the challenge of accounting for the myriad ways these labs produce knowledge, emphasizing that many contemporary labs are hybrid forms requiring a new methodological and theoretical approach. The text introduces the concept of the "hybrid lab" and offers a critical investigation into their proliferation across culture. Organized by interpretive categories such as space, infrastructure, and imaginaries, it employs both historical and contemporary examples to illustrate how laboratories are intertwined with changes in the modern university. The scope includes notable institutions like the MIT Media Lab and the Tuskegee Institute’s Jesup Wagon, among others. Key topics include the evolution of lab-based communities, the role of tools and technologies in defining lab spaces, and a glossary of essential hybrid lab techniques. By providing rich historical context, this work sheds light on a critical yet often overlooked aspect of contemporary arts and humanities, offering insights into the dynamic nature of labs and their impact on knowledge production.