The impact of design on our societies is undeniable. Design is everywhere, and seemingly everything has been designed. Design has often been associated with the reproduction of oppression, furthering the ends of capitalism, and contributing to the climate emergency we are facing. However, design is rooted in critical and reflective traditions (Van Toorn, 1994), which, when used correctly, can positively impact our societies and the planet. Social Design brings to focus this perspective to design practice. Social Design can remind us that design can be practised as a means to reduce social inequalities by working actively with our communities, to tackle the climate emergency by revisiting forms of production and traditional practices, and to improve the quality of life of those in need.
The Social Design Special Interest Group (SIG) at ImaginationLancaster is pleased to invite you to a full-day symposium to discuss the importance of design in social contexts. The symposium will bring together academics and practitioners seeking to use design to generate social good. We will discuss the role of design in promoting social justice and the practice of design in social contexts and draw together a future social agenda for design.