Design as Politics
Guest Lecture Series
University of Applied Arts Vienna
Vienna, Austria
2012–2020
Design is mainly understood as the activity of producing more or less useful artifacts, but not necessarily as a political activity. The design of an artifact, however, is always also a political decision about how people should live, communicate, or behave. Furthermore, design can be used as a political instrument in the form of activism or as a medium to discuss and dream about possible or better futures. Politics itself can also be understood as a form of design since it involves planning, making decisions, and devising laws. The material dimension of politics and the political dimension of artifacts are explored through a series of lectures and film screenings.
Speaker 2020
Offshore Studio, Brave New Alps, James Auger, Ruben Pater
Speaker 2019
Daniela Gruber, Ruth Sonderegger, Noam Toran, Roman Kirschner, Tim Parsons and Jessica Charlesworth
Speaker 2018
Florian Kaps, Yunus Tuncel, Tobie Kerridge, Marquard Smith
Speaker 2017
Clemens Winkler, Daisy Ginsberg, Julijonas Urbonas, Burkhard Meltzer
Speaker 2016
Tido von Oppeln, Heng Zhi, !Mediengruppe Bitnik, Onkar Kular
Speaker 2015
Karim Jafarmadar, Robert Phillips, Evert Ypma, Gordan Savičić, Sarah Owens
Speaker 2014
Hubert Canaval, Sue Architects, Kunst für Widerstand
Speaker 2012
Eyal Weizmann, Ruedi Baur, Marilyn Waring, Steven Duncombe, Stefana Broadbent, Ezio Manzini
Credits
Chair and Organisation: Björn Franke
Logistics and Administration: Elfe Fritz