This website introduces the book “Hightech am Ende” (Hightech at the End). While this is a German book, also aiming to advance the German discussion, it is situated in wider global discussions. The academic book is also accompanied by a set of articles published in English.

On this website, you find a brief overview of the main arguments, and political steps to take. But the website is not replicating the book; it offers an easy way to engage with the topic. Please also note that this is not just a translation of the German site. The global (and English speaking) context requires adjustments, and different sources.

The Book

In “Hightech am Ende” [High-tech at the end], Stefan Laser follows the value of electronic waste. With the help of ethnographic studies, he discusses a contested law in India, follows the shredding and smelting of discarded electronic gadgets as an employee of a German recycling company, and examines a Google innovation for redesigning smartphones. At the heart of the book is a discussion of the controversial creation of new values. The author identifies high-tech recycling as the dominant political and economic force in dealing with electronic waste – a one-sided strategy that displaces alternatives and does not contribute to the sustainable avoidance of waste. This book draws on methodologies from the field of Science and Technology Studies, and it wants to discuss valuation practices by thinking through waste.

Access the digital version of the book (and single chapters) via SpringerLink. Most libraries have access to the PDFs. Drop an e-mail if you need help. 🤓

You can buy the book directly from Springer, and all the usual suspects.