HSOC-209: Social Making

What's the difference between co-design and participatory design? Can a film really change a conversation about a social issue? How can artists work effectively with communities? This course will create a framework for answering these and other pressing questions about socially engaged creative practices, in alignment with Designmatters' four thematic pillars: sustainable development, public policy, global health, and social entrepreneurship. Historical context and research methods will be emphasized throughout, providing students with the foundational knowledge and skills they need to engage in social design and related initiatives. Course materials and assignments will be supported by lectures and workshops from multiple speakers with expertise in socially engaged art, design, and media. Students will create images, objects, presentations, and writing as part of an integrated and ethical research practice; they will also be challenged to think critically about the cultural, political, and economic effects of creative interventions into international development and social advocacy. This course is open to students from all disciplines and term levels.