This volume is based partly on papers presented at the Berendel Foundation's second annual conference held at Queen's College, Oxford between 8 and 10 September 2011.

'Crafting humans' – and its corollary human enhancement – is a contested topic, both in medical sciences and the humanities. With continuing advances in science and technology, scientists and the general public alike are aware that the basic foundations of the human condition are now at stake. This volume contributes to this growing body of work. It offers insights into some of the reflections and imaginaries that have inspired and legitimated both theoretical and practical programmes for 'crafting' humans, ranging from the religious/spiritualist and the philosophical/cultural to the secular and the scientific/scientistic; from the religious and mystical quest for human perfection to the biopolitical eugenic state of the twentieth century, and current theories of human enhancement. This volume discusses these topics in a synchronized way, as interrelated variants of the most central story in history, that of human perfectibility.

Why do people work hard, and take pride in what they do? This book, a philosophically-minded enquiry into practical activity of many different kinds past and present, is about what happens when people try to do a good job. It asks us to think about the true meaning of skill in the 'skills society' and argues that pure competition is a poor way to achieve quality work. Sennett suggests, instead, that there is a craftsman in every human being, which can sometimes be enormously motivating and inspiring - and can also in other circumstances make individuals obsessive and frustrated. The Craftsman shows how history has drawn fault-lines between craftsman and artist, maker and user, technique and expression, practice and theory, and that individuals' pride in their work, as well as modern society in general, suffers from these historical divisions. But the past lives of crafts and craftsmen show us ways of working (using tools, acquiring skills, thinking about materials) which provide rewarding alternative ways for people to utilise their talents. We need to recognise this if motivations are to be understood and lives made as fulfilling as possible.

This book explores the threads between community building and fiber arts. Essays explore a variety of communities, different types of crafts, and the unique spaces and places where those communities exist. Readers will get a sense of how community is established, supported, and deconstructed to better understand the benefits they hold for community members. Thinking about how the communities work and why members join and stay within them offers the reader a rich view into the world of fiber arts and the communities within.

The New York Times bestselling craft guide that inspired the hit new TV show, At Home With Amy Sedaris It's often been said that ugly people craft and attractive people have sex. In Simple Times, Amy Sedaris sets the record straight and delivers a book that will forever change the world of crafting. Demonstrating that crafting is one of life's more pleasurable and constructive leisure activities, Sedaris shows that anyone with a couple of hours to kill and access to pipe cleaners can join the elite society of crafters. You will discover how to make popular crafts such as Pompom Ringworms and Seashell Toilet Seat Covers, all while avoiding the most common crafting accidents (sawdust fires, feather asphyxia, pine cone lodged in throat). You will cook your own edible crafts, from a Crafty Candle Salad to Sugar Skulls, with many more recipes and craft ideas that will inspire you to create your very own hastily constructed obscure d'arts. Praise for Simple Times "Amy Sedaris is a kookier, kitschier version of Martha Stewart...Simple Times is an ideal gift for the crafter who has crafted everything." - Associated Press "A wildly cheeky guide." -- InStyle "For anyone who's ever collected hats crocheted together...or simply for fans of Amy Sedaris and her idiosyncratic sense of humor." -- New York Times Book Review

Got fur balls? Are your favorite sweaters covered with cat hair? Do you love to make quirky and one-of-a-kind crafting projects? If so, then it’s time to throw away your lint roller and curl up with your kitty! Crafting with Cat Hair shows readers how to transform stray clumps of fur into soft and adorable handicrafts. From kitty tote bags and finger puppets to fluffy cat toys, picture frames, and more, these projects are cat-friendly, eco-friendly, and require no special equipment or training. You can make most of these projects in under an hour—with a little help, of course, from your feline friends!

Teaching Human Rights using Art provides an enjoyable means of learning for children. Art can be a particularly effective means for teaching children who are in difficult social situations where self-expression has been suppressed. Therefore, in this kit self- expression will help the child understand his or her existence as an individual and consequently the rights that belong to him or her within the human community. The articles taught in this kit are from the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948.