Design, Ecology, Politics

Design, Ecology, Politics forges a link between critical and ecological theory and design theory and practice. It critiques the ways that the design industry – and even many sustainability discourses within the design industry –perpetuates current unsustainable development regimes. When design does engage with issues of sustainability, this engagement typically remains shallow due to a narrow basis of analysis in design theory and education. The situation is made more severe by design cultures that claim to have no politics. Meanwhile, new ecologically informed design methods and tools (such as biomimicry, circular design and lifecycle analysis) hold promise only when incorporated into a larger project of political change.

Joanna Boehnert uses case studies of successful and some less successful environmental design projects to describe the ways that design functions within the economic system and how design could work beyond capitalism. Design can either conceal or reveal the ecological and social impact of current modes of production. Design can either reproduce or help to transform political ideologies and institutions. Design can be a transformative practice, working as a means to facilitate political and social change, but only once it is informed by ecological literacy and critical social theory. Joanna Boehnert's cogent and illuminating study integrates ecological and critical positions into design theory to put forward a theoretical foundation for ecologically-informed design.

1. Introduction

Part One – Design
2. Design Theory 101
3. Design as Symbolic Violence
4. Design vs. The Design Industry

Part Two – Ecology
5. Ecological Theory 101
6. Epistemological Error
7. Ecological Literacy
8. Ecological Literacy vs. Sustainability
9. Ecoliterate Design
10. Ecological Perception 1: Theory
11. Ecological Perception 2: Practice
12. Ecological Identity

Part Three – Politics
13. Apolitical Design
14. Social Marketing
15. The Green Economy
16. The TechnoFix
17. Conclusion

Index