Unsettled: Exploring Systems of Power
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This document provides an overview of Cameron Paterson's work exploring systems of power through a critical design lens. It acknowledges indigenous peoples and discusses having a moment to reflect on injustice. It then outlines some norms for discussion and asks students to sketch a powerful person. The document examines power structures and oppressive design, asking questions about representation, participation, and power dynamics. It frames systems thinking and developing sensitivity to issues of design, power, and participation in order to reimagine more just and equitable systems. The goal is to empower students to critically examine everyday design and structures in order to amplify marginalized voices and challenge the status quo.
Unsettled: Exploring Systems of Power
- 1. Unsettled: Exploring Systems of Power Cameron Paterson cdp151@mail.harvard.edu @cpaterso
- 2. We acknowledge the sovereign first peoples of these lands and waters, the Bunurong Peoples of the Kulin nation. We pay our respects to their elders, past and present and to all descendants of this nation who have cared for this place since creation. We also honour all other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
- 3. What do you do, and where?
- 4. A moment for injustice, oppression, suffering, surviving. Rather than a moment of silence, let’s have a moment unsilenced. Where do you want to send your light, your energy, your prayers?
- 5. Norms Be gentle and generous Use ‘I’ statements, not ‘We’ statements. Expect and embrace a lack of closure
- 6. In one minute, quickly sketch a powerful person
- 8. Power walk
- 9. Messages What do you think the messages are? Choices What design choices did the artist make? How do these choices help express the message(s)?
- 10. Lookingcriticallyat the design of objects and systems,including systems ofpowerand oppression Exploring and interrogating context, representation, identity, and positionality Reimagining a more just world and how one might participate innew and "better" ways Critical Sensitivity to Design
- 12. - Who isrepresented? - Who isnot? - Why? - Whosevoicesare valued and who decideswhat is considered "valuable?" - Who isinvited to participate? - Whoisparticipatingwithoutrealizingit? - Whoisparticipatingwithoutconsentingto? - Who hasthe mostpower? Who hasthe least? - Who makesdecisionsabouthowthingsare run? - How am I involved? - How do I participate? - Howcan Iparticipateinwaysthatcontribute more to socialjustice? L et'ssayourstudentsare looking closelyata... Novel Building Historical event Systemof government News article YouTubevideo Lecture on climate change Housing developmentsystem Classroom design School calendar Row oftheatre chairsorstadium seats Critical SensitivitytoDesign Questions
- 13. A system is acollection of parts that interact with or influence each other in some way(s), to some end(s).
- 14. Power muscle Sensitivity to design muscle Systems muscle
- 16. People, Systems, Power, Participation 1. Notice • Name everything you see and note the context. 2. People • Who is involved and whose perspectives are being represented? Whose perspectives are not being represented? 3. Systems • Name the systems that are involved and note any connections you see between the people and the systems. 4. Power • What systems have power? • What people have power? • What kinds of power do you see? 5. Participation • How do you participate in any social issues that have surfaced? How do you participate in any systems you have noted/discussed? • What power(s) do you have to influence or change the systems? • How might you participate differently within the systems?
- 18. 3pedagogicalprinciples Design is not neutral Power is multidimensional Participation is constructed
- 19. Critical Mending
- 21. Titus Kaphar, Behind the Myth of Benevolence
- 22. Truth and Historical Amendment* by Jaime Chao Mignano *Inspired by the artwork of Titus Kaphar
- 27. Design participation in ways that challenge the status quo and amplify the voices of young people.
- 28. • JxD is about designing curriculum that empowers students. When young people are supported to recognise inequities in everyday design we are helping them to reimagine a more just world. A series of routines has been developed: • Parts, Purposes, Complexities (for looking closely) • Parts, People, Interactions (for exploring complexity) • Voice and Choice (for developing a sensitivity to what and who is not represented) • People, Systems, Power, Participation (for looking critically at content and developing a sensitivity to the roles of power and participation)
- 29. How might you explore justice/injustice, power, representation, and identity in your practice?
- 31. We Call Them Pirates Out Here, Daniel Boyd, 2006
- 33. Shaun Tan, ‘They Came by Water’, an illustration from The Rabbits, 1997
- 34. Hope Beyond the Window, Jacqui Stewart, 2011
- 35. Taken Away, Sally Morgan, 1987
- 37. Credit: Sheya Hacking systems with a social justice lens