Tesla the Maker: The Stakes of Differing Histories of Technology in DIY Cultures.

Since the 2000s, turn-of-the century inventor Nikola Tesla has gradually become a mainstay in several DIY cultures, notably indie and DIY media, Web 2.0 digital platforms, and the "maker" movement. The presence of this historical figure demonstrates the important symbolic and discursive role the history of technology plays within cultures of technology. The paper argues that these different accounts of Tesla's role in history are representative of several key conflicts and contradictions running through DIY cultures of the past 20 years, as they have oscillated between individualism and collectivism, neoliberalism and anti-capitalism, and technological determinism and social constructivism. Using representations of Tesla to unpack these conflicts and contradictions, this article highlights the political stakes of cultural representations of the history of technology, with particular consideration given to the labour DIYers invest into making new things and their recognition of the power and politics built into technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]