The United States came to lead the world economy by the early 20th century. As symbolized by Henry Ford’s automobile production, it was the world’s most mechanized country. Among the factors accounting for the ascendance of this once-backward colony, the rapid diffusion of technological knowledge was particularly important. Supported by effective government policies and civil organization, networks of highly mobile machinists spread knowledge widely and generated broad ranges of new techniques, forming a distinctive American technology in the process. Professor Thomson will discuss how several prominent Vermonters played pivotal roles in this development.
Continue reading“From James Marsh to Computers in Backpacks: UVM and Romanticism in the 21st Century”
Building on his recent book, The Net Effect: Romanticism, Capitalism, and the Internet- a study of the role of culture in the social construction of internet technology-Tom Streeter looks at the persistence of romanticism in the twenty-first century. Communities as diverse as computer programmers, CEOs, and college students at times demonstrate a fondness for self […]