👨‍👧Designing with others

During this course we dwelled deep into the minds of the concept of "other". By this I mean someone or something other than your own race, gender, species, sexuality, etc. This course resulted into a real analytical concept, and a mental challenge; a real life thought experiment.

We explored several different concepts regarding justice and ethics, both on a very methodological approach as well as a more practical one. During the first session we explicitly focused on Design Justice and the tools we can use in order to analyse a certain case.

In this class, we explored how design and language shape how we communicate and experience the world. We looked at the ethical implications of design, especially when data is used irresponsibly or without critical analysis. The course emphasized the importance of integrating theory with practice, considering who is producing knowledge and for whom. We discussed the Design Justice framework, which focuses on creating inclusive, community-centered designs that challenge oppression and power imbalances. The key takeaway was that design should not erase marginalized groups but instead center their needs and experiences, fostering a more just and equitable world.

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During the week, we visited Mutan Monkey and Salamina, which helped me understand how design, art, and research collectives work in the city. After spending so many weeks focused on the school, it was important to get out and see real, active spaces that are also connected to the school. These visits showed me how these spaces started, what they aim to do, and how they create places for people to connect. What I find interesting is how they challenge traditional institutions by offering open, flexible spaces that focus on collaboration and exploration. However, I’m still trying to figure out how these places can stay financially sustainable, because it’s hard to understand how they manage to keep going with all the time and effort they need.

After the course was finished I would say that I learned to better take into consideration what comes into our minds via media or other ways. The most valuable thing I learned was that WE ARE ALL BIASED AND ARE FULL OF CONTRADICTIONS. The best possible thing we could do is understand that most times we are not the center of the universe and that other(s) also have their place in the world. I think the discussion of the several topics we discussed during the course (eugenics, interrelations, agency, capitalocene, anthropocene, etc) are of the utmost importance, specially for us as designers. We are in charge of whatever society will be turning into, or rather, we have a heavy influence in any case. Hopefully when we understand what our real roles as designers are, we can also understand the responsibility that comes with it.