ABSTRACT
Craft theory moves away from sceptical idealism and the 'hermeneutics of suspicion'. Craft is typically subsumed under broader studies that examine people and things in general, either from a material or social perspective, and often in relation to identity or specialisation. All material culture seems to be equally 'readable', but despite the fact that every object may communicate not every object was specifically made to communicate. Skill is not necessarily limited to physical tasks involved in making a material object. There is skill in performance – singing, dancing, football, and playing the piano – just as the idea of craftsmanship may be found in these vocations. The interpretation of skill as a social value is distinguished from the recognition of skill as expertise because it requires additional assumptions. The social value of skill is an interpretation of how expertise was valued and subsequently influenced identity and social status in a larger societal context.
