Neo-craft and nostalgia

This chapter illustrates how nostalgia is mobilized as a discursive device by a set of neo-craft activities within the European Union. Through a research approach grounded in qualitative digital methods, it critically examines the role of nostalgia in the narration of the production process, business history and foundational narratives, and the visual imagery displayed across social media profiles and website pages by these activities. The analysis reveals that nostalgia is mobilized within neo-craft industries not only to convey a romanticized idea that glorifies craft as a production practice in contrast to mass industrial production but, more importantly, to position these activities as innovative and modern. This ties in with other discursive regimes involved in contemporary production practices – above all, sustainability.