HSOC-369: Research Justice

Have you ever wondered about how to connect design practice to social justice? Have you ever considered what it might take to embolden marginalized communities through design research? Have you ever wanted to reorder the ways in which benefits and burdens are distributed across society with your knowledge and skills as a designer? In this course, we will address these questions and more. In particular, it is an investigation into the theoretical, ethical, and processual orientations of participatory design research. Far from a monolithic concept, participatory design is multi-faceted, taking shape only through a constellation of histories and discourses about governance, power, and justice. Thus, course readings cover a diverse literature (e.g., book chapters, journal articles, and blogs) on the nature of participation and its relationship with design and materiality. Different from conventional courses on the topic, a review of critical frameworks rooted in feminism, postcolonialism, anti-racism, and disability studies will offer students ways to situate and reconceptualize participatory design in embodied, political and global contexts. We will cover a variety of research techniques, from crafting interview guides to developing prototypes-studying several case studies for guidance. Also, as part of this course, students will engage each other through weekly practice assignments, which will cultivate a sense of comfort and creativity with the many methodologies introduced.