Radical Futures: Supporting Community-Led Design Engagements through an Afrofuturist Speculative Design Toolkit

Bray, Kirsten; Harrington, Christina; Parker, Andrea G.; Diakhate, N'Deye; Roberts, Julian V.

doi:10.1145/3491102.3501945

Cited by 26 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 37 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The students engaged in critical design and making and creating design solutions of various kinds for themselves and others (Iversen et al, 2018;Dindler et al, 2020;Bray et al, 2022;Goyal et al, 2022). They started by envisioning alternative futures (Activity 3) through creative methods, initiating speculation on potential and desirable futures.…”

Section: Critical Design and Making Phasementioning

confidence: 99%

We learned we can do something to reduce bullying: Children designing anti-bullying mobile apps to empower their peers

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Mobile applications have thoroughly pervaded the lives of today's children, who live and learn through and with them. However, limited research has been conducted on children designing such apps and not only using those designed by adults. Inviting children to design such apps is the focus of our study. Moreover, in contemporary society, it is emphasized that children should be empowered to take civic action and engage in making the world a better place. In the literature, however, less emphasis has been placed on how children can be invited to do so through the means of digital technology, particularly mobile application design. In this study, 13–15-year-old children are invited to take civic action to address the serious societal problem of bullying through the design of mobile apps. We discussed the design process and analyzed the applications the children designed from the viewpoint of how they aim to tackle bullying. We examined how their app designs aim at empowering other children in the context of bullying, and thus considered what kinds of opportunities emerge for children to learn skills related to the prevention or management of bullying in the apps they have designed. We showed that the children's app designs informed us of the seriousness of bullying in children's lives and that they advocate for the empowerment of other children in different ways. Hence, we have increased our understanding of how smart, interactive technologies designed by children address the learning and empowerment of other children, i.e., application users. We also studied the children's learning from both their and their teachers' perspectives. This study showcases an alternative way educators can integrate digital technologies and apps in school settings to educate children on important societal matters and digital technology.

show abstract

Section: Critical Design and Making Phasementioning

confidence: 99%

We learned we can do something to reduce bullying: Children designing anti-bullying mobile apps to empower their peers

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Representation is a key theme in the area of failures for the practice. Overt acts of ignorance such as a proclivity towards narratives featuring white, male protagonists are a constant reminder of the obtuseness wreaked by privilege (Bray K., Harrington, Parker, Diakhate, & Roberts, 2022). The simple act of excluding different cultures and races from a speculation has a harsh and concerning undertone: "If a video or a photo series on a future scenario only depicts white, European, middle-class people, what does that say about the future of minorities?"…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Instead of devising a multitude of dread-inducing future scenarios that fuel the market, Tonkinwise believes Dunne and Raby should advocate for the constitution of different, promising, and inspiring possibilities (Tonkinwise, 2014). Bray et al summarise the dilemma well: "Speculating possible futures is not limited to the desire to contribute to technological innovation, the motivations need not centre on technology at all, rather the need for social change or the desire to preserve one's community" (Bray K., Harrington, Parker, Diakhate, & Roberts, 2022).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Through the use of Afrofuturism as a methodology toolkit, Afro-diasporic people can speculate futures that defy the white-centred technological normative (Harrington, Klassen, & Rankin, 2022). Through the use of Afrofuturism for involving Black perspectives within the realm of technological advancement, the long-term impact of racial inequity can be addressed and radically equitable futures can not only become more imaginable, but more achievable (Bray K., Harrington, Parker, Diakhate, & Roberts, 2022;Harrington, Klassen, & Rankin, 2022).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…"Both a scarcity of research and existence of past research that has been exploitative or harmful has fostered a sense of mistrust between marginalised communities and researchers, making the process of undertaking collaborative research one that must be predicated on solidarity and continual trust-building work" (Bray K., Harrington, Parker, Diakhate, & Roberts, 2022). Design approaches that employ a participa-tory methodology are beneficial in that they allow designers to collaborate with a diverse range of participants and stakeholders, nourishing the research with a variety of perspectives and experiences (Bray K., Harrington, Parker, Diakhate, & Roberts, 2022).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Speculating Potential

Hiley

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Speculative design, characterised by its creative exploration and extrapolation of contemporary issues, has generated a diverse body of literature and projects that captivate inquisitive individuals. Practitioners of speculative design consistently emphasise its utility for various investigative purposes. However, an issue emerges when examining the existing literature and projects. Currently, a noticeable gap exists between the polished and intricate projects created by practitioners and the process novices can use to engage in their own speculative design endeavours.This research aims to address this gap by investigating speculative design and its operational mechanisms through the utilisation of a research through design methodology. The author of this thesis embarks on the creation of their own speculative design, providing transparent documentation of the process leading to the final speculative piece in order to elucidate application. The findings of this research critically reflect upon the current state of the literature and assess the effectiveness of available resources in guiding non-experts in their engagement with speculative design.By illuminating the process and challenges involved in creating a speculative design, this research contributes to enhancing accessibility and understanding of the practice for individuals seeking to engage in this dynamic field of design exploration.

show abstract

Agency, Power and Confrontation: the Role for Socially Engaged Art in CSCW with Rurban Communities in Support of Inclusion

Murray,

Pantidi,

McCarthy

2023

Comput Supported Coop Work

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Radical Futures: Supporting Community-Led Design Engagements through an Afrofuturist Speculative Design Toolkit

Cited by 26 publications

References 37 publications

We learned we can do something to reduce bullying: Children designing anti-bullying mobile apps to empower their peers

We learned we can do something to reduce bullying: Children designing anti-bullying mobile apps to empower their peers

Speculating Potential

Agency, Power and Confrontation: the Role for Socially Engaged Art in CSCW with Rurban Communities in Support of Inclusion

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About