Power and Precarity: Lessons from the Makers by Mail Project

This article examines notions of precarity within the Makers by Mail project to interrogate the relationship between minimal computing methodologies and academic austerity. Doing so pushes us to reconsider the question “What do we need?” to center not only technological tangibles but also human(e) requirements for effective and ethical engagement. While this piece focuses on Makers by Mail, we hope our experience can bring attention to the ways in which precarity operates and is operationalized by individuals and institutions to reinforce traditional notions of power, limiting opportunities for marginalized peoples and groups. We hope that our experiences offer insight into the lives of precarious digital humanists, and that they continue pushing our field to reconsider when and how we support digital scholars and their projects. There are many ways to push against precarity in digital humanities — providing better contracts, paying higher wages, offering funding opportunities, developing mentorship networks, giving appropriate credit, supporting career growth, and promoting structural change. Any of the above can help shift our work away from precarity and toward praxis — working with and supporting communities. While minimal computing methodologies can help us alleviate some of the structural inequalities within higher education, we cannot achieve maximum justice until we address the problem of precarity within our own communities.