Abstract
To do it yourself is to provide for yourself services which you might be expected to pay a professional to do. The term is used across a seemingly ever-widening range of activities, but its core reference remains home maintenance and improvement. This article traces the historical roots of do-it-yourself (DIY) as a distinct cultural phenomenon, locating its emergence in the first half of the twentieth century in advanced capitalist economies as an effect of converging dynamics in labour and housing markets, gender relations, and the development of DIY retailers and products. It goes on to look at the social correlates of people undertaking DIY and the diverse needs and purposes which DIY serves, reflecting both the many different ways in which the home is used and valued, and the different rewards and frustrations which the process of actually doing DIY can afford. Turning to the politics of DIY culture as a field of both resistance and innovation, the article briefly considers DIY as a source of alternatives and new ideas in relation to home and housing.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
