Design and Bodies

Human bodies play a key role in the history and practice of design. In this lecture series we are going to explore the relationship between design and the human body both as a center for oppression and as a medium for transformation. Against the backdrop of Western medicine’s quest for a statistically “normal” body - which marginalizes diversity - binaries, standards and universality have informed modernist design principles still used today.

While design today is in the midst of a transformation, increasingly expanding its practices to include designing systems, services, businesses and other intangible objects, humans are still bound to their material bodies. We are going to look at systems of exclusion upholding the mythical ‘norm’ and pluriversal design principles as a standpoint for amplifying nonconformity and resisting normalisation.

From biodata and surveillance to cyborgs, intersectional feminism and queer-crip aesthetics this lecture series is going to examine how embodiment shapes and is shaped by design and how design plays a big role in shaping more inclusive futures.

For successful completion of this course the following requirements apply:

• regular, punctual attendance (min. 80% of all sessions, 40% of grade)
• submission of an essay on a topic based on the contents of the lecture series with reference to examples and own practice; 2000 (+/- 10%). Alternatively, a video essay or podcast (15 minutes) can be submitted. (60% of grade)
• work generated by AI cannot be accepted, unless indicated; references in footnotes are required (https://www.scribbr.de/chicago-zitierweise/literaturverzeichnis-chicago-style/);
• Participation in a tutorial to discuss the topic
• deadline: 03. Juni 2024, late submissions cannot be considered for assessment!

Individual tutorials (15 min.) will be held via Zoom on April 15 and April 29. Alternatively we can discuss topics for the essay via email.

The essay can be submitted in German or English.