The Knitivism Club: Feminist Pedagogies of Touch

Knitting is oft en perceived of as a gendered and aged activity and conjures up images of grandmothers in rocking chairs, wool socks, and baby blankets. However, in the past decade alone, knitting has seen an increase in popularity among youth. While the do-it-yourself (DIY) movement and third-wave feminism are contributing factors to the knitting revival (Wills, 2007), other reasons include a new approach to connectivity and resistance. In a rapidly changing and unpredictable world, characterized by, among other factors, the unprecedented expansion of global flows and patterns of social interaction, youth are increasingly involved in complex forms of interconnection. While some scholars believe that today’s youth resistance seems obscure, transitory, and disorganized (Harris, 2008), knitivism demonstrates that youth have new ways of taking on politics and culture that may not be recognizable under more traditional frameworks. It is in these unfamiliar and unrecognizable gaps that pedagogies of touch take shape (Springgay, 2008).