The objective of this study is twofold. First, it connects a domestic artifact, a sewing machine, to history. Second, it interprets the process of studying artifacts as a technique used in the study of history. To that end, in this paper, I take my grandma’s sewing machine and connect broadly to bring new insight into how the sewing machine exemplifies the changes occurring in urban Turkish society during and after World War II. By interviewing my mother as the major informant, studying the object, and doing a literature review, I argue that the sewing machine represents Turkish society’s change from modernization to postmodernization as its past and present uses are interpreted. Furthermore, the paper highlights the importance of studying artifacts through connecting broadly. By arguing that such knowledge produced in such inquiries reveal historical records that are of utmost importance for the study of history. Results show that studying local and available artifacts from a historical perspective has numerous benefits.
Anahtar Kelimeler: Dikiş makinesi, geniş ilişkilendirme, İkinci Dünya Savaşı, Türkiye, modernleşme, Singer, tarih öğretimi
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