Territory as a Creator of Resources: The Case of Usinette

This paper aims at illustrating the ways alternative actors work at a territorial level to diffuse a societal model different from the dominant conventional regime, in phase with the aspirations of a growing part of the population. The Usinette project, derived from the reflections of ‘hackers’ familiar with the creative spaces of ‘Fab Labs’, attempts to favor the circulation of new practices of producing objects, but also new modes of coordination. Analysis of Usinette shows that the project contributes to the diffusion of an intention of an alternative regime, through initiatives elaborated with local actors, but also with actors inserted within active networks of “hackers”. The paper shows that this kind of action, combining physical and institutional proximity, is an interesting means for the circulation of ideas and practices.