New DESIGNABILITIES Issue: Design Equity

When DESIGNABILITIES Design Research Journal startet as an initiative, back in 2008, it was formulated as a key concern to explore the epistemic potentials of design research, as well as the question of which ways and practices of knowledge production we can develop and apply in and beyond the design disciplines. This also involves a critical examination concerning the role of design(ers) in relation to societal conditions and hegemonies, and the search for ways to make these visible and transformable. Some of this has been illustrated in our Journal issues, with titles such as DESIGN FUTURES, DESIGN POLITICS, DESIGN CO-EXISTENCE, DESIGN DISORDER, DESIGN OBSTACLES, DESIGN DIS/COMFORT, or now with our latest issue #07: DESIGN EQUITY – co-edited by Uta Brandes – fresh from the press.

It cannot be emphasised clearly enough to highlight the importance of the topic “Design Equity” in addressing current challenges, societal and political developments, and not least the various dichotomies in design research. Just for instance: there are different concepts concerning the social dimension of Design. Among several others, “Equity” is one, “Pluriversality” is another one – both are important, but they are different approaches. Renato Leitao recently brought up this topic as well, as both terms are often (wrongly) used interchangeably – particularly, as Renata states, “due to the (…) backlash that (…) terms (such as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) are receiving in the US” and other countries as well, right now. (pg. 6)

In this respect, the title of this issue may not have been the ideal choice, although we had long discussions in the search for a suitable title, which always involves a certain kind of exaggeration (and therefore both abbreviation and misleading). When we nevertheless call this issue Design Equity, it is based on the assumption that this term must also be understood and analysed in its ambivalence and ambiguity. Just how fruitful and important this discourse is, was also demonstrated in the DESIGN EQTUITY video conference that we organised for the launch of the journal edition, which attracted a large audience of well over 100 participants. One thing became clear once again: a lot has already been achieved on the one hand, yet there is still so much to do on the other. And it seems increasingly important to maintain a constructive, close dialogue. May our current issue “Design Equity” make a contribution to this.

Chapters by Lesley-Ann Noel, Ana Julia Melo Almeida, Griselda Flesler, Valeria Durán, Celeste Moretti, Raquel Noronha, Leyla Acaroglu, Dorothee Ader, Naomi Rado, Felix Kosok, Bitten Stetter, Uta Brandes and Tom Bieling.

Click [here] to read the online version!