The sociality of enskilment

Abstract

This article uses a reflection on the quality of the time of enskilment as a way of addressing the relationship between sociality and enskilment. I look at key moments from my field research and learning experience in the workshop of a Taiwanese craftsman. The analysis of these moments reveals the complex, multimodal nature of the interactions between mentor and learner. I use the concept of enchronic time (Enfield) to trace these interactions as they unfold in the situated time of learning. In such contexts, I argue that there is no qualitative shift between sociality and enskilment, and we should thus conceptualise social interactions as being an integral part of the resulting technical skills, dispositions, and work ethics of the learner.