CULTURAL SENSITIVITY

WEEK 3: TDN
WEEK 1 (27 Feb) Intro

WEEK 2 (6 March) Decolonising design practice

WEEK 3 (13 March) Culturally sensitive design - WE ARE HERE!

WEEK 4 (20 March) Public space and the politics of the spectacle

WEEK 5 (27 March) Design and consumer culture

WEEK 6 (3 April) Design, class and issues of taste

ASSIGNMENT 2 DUE: APRIL 6

MID-SEMESTER BREAK

WEEK 7 (17 April) Design and new economies of desire

WEEK 8 (24 April) Design and identity: feminist perspectives

WEEK 9 (1 May) Design and identity: queer perspectives

WEEK 10 (8 May) Socially inclusive design

WEEK 11 (15 May) Design and environmental perspectives

WEEK 12 (22 May) One-on-one tutor sessions

ASSIGNMENT 3 DUE: MAY 26
TODAY

Introducing the ‘Reading map’!

Reading presentations
Break (5 mins)
Discussion
Content activity: Cultural mapping exercise and discussion
Academic activity: Assignment 2, artefact selection, starting to think through re-design
READING MAP

Olafur Eliasson, Research Map

https://olafureliasson.net/researchmap/
READING PRESENTATIONS

Nute. 2019. “Towards a test of cultural misappropriation.”

Lees-Maffei. 2019. “Signifying orientalism, chinoiserie and japonisme.”

LECTURE
What is globalisation?

What is regionalism?

What are the differences between ethnocentric and ethnorelative perspectives?

What is cultural appropriation?

How might we avoid cultural appropriation in design?

Milton Bennett’s Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity, sometimes called the “Bennett Scale,” describes the standard ways
in which people experience, interpret, and interact across cultural differences. Presented as a developmental continuum that
progresses from ethnocentric (denial, defensiveness, and minimization) to ethnorelative worldviews (acceptance, adaptation, and
integration), the model has been widely used as an educational tool to help people progress toward a deeper understanding of cross-
cultural difference. Source: Intercultural Development Research Institute.
“These three criteria, cultural
significance, recognizability, and
relative power, may themselves
ultimately prove insufficient as
indicators of potential cultural harm,
but it seems likely that they would
form part of any such test. The
precise meanings of cultural
significance, recognizability, and
dominant culture remain to be
agreed, however, and until they are
it seems unlikely that there can be
any generally accepted definition of
cultural misappropriation.” (Nute
2019, p. 79)
“The notion that one can assume
private ownership of forms that were
originally derived without permission
from a different culture would seem to
suggest that, at the very least, there
may be a need for the law to recognize
the intellectual rights of cultural groups
on an equal basis with those of
individual artists.” (Nute 2019)
 “The image of the Matterhorn
mountain peak will be removed from
Toblerone packaging after some of the
chocolate bar’s production is moved
outside Switzerland, meaning it falls
foul of marketing restrictions relating
to the use of Swiss iconography.”

“Swissness” legislation introduced in 2017 restricts the use of

[...] indicators of Swiss provenance [like the image of the
Matterhorn], in foodstuffs, industrial products and services.
cultural onion
In pairs visualise your own cultural onions on the group miro:

1: Identify a cultural difference between you (ethnic background,

country of origin, subcultural, design discipline area, religious
background etc.)

2: Discuss and map each of the layers of the onion: Rituals, heroes +
symbols

3: Find visual examples to represent:

● What are the rituals individuals perform over time to nurture
their values (for example a particular religion might pray at a
certain time of day, a particular subculture might attend a
particular venue every weekend)
● Who are the role models or heroes that represent the values of
the culture?
● What symbols – habits, behaviours, fashion, artefacts,
language are associated with the culture?

4: Compare and contrast similarities and differences between your

maps
ASSIGNMENT 2 (30%)
1: Artefact analysis and redesign
For the oral presentation you were required to choose an image/object/or space that means something to you
personally, and analyse this design artefact in relation to one of the required readings.
● For this task you are required to redesign your chosen design artefact from the perspective of a reading
from an alternate week.
Drawing on the concepts and issues raised by the second reading, provide:
1. A 1000 word justification as to how and why you have redesigned, re-purposed or re-imagined the
artefact
2. A render (image) of what this new image/object or space looks like.
○ Additional information: It is expected that you will refer to further research (at least two other
sources) to inform your re-design and written justification – reference using the Chicago Author-
Date style.
○ You will not be assessed on the technical skill of your render, but rather your ability to identify key
concepts and themes and apply these to your re-designed artefact
■ Think of creative ways you might render the idea: collage, painting, poetry, photographed
scale model
ASSIGNMENT 2
Your artefact redesign could:
● challenge assumptions and conceptions about the role objects play in everyday life
● educate or raise awareness on a social, cultural, political or environmental issue
● challenge an audience's preconceptions, provoke new ways of thinking about the object, its use,
and the surrounding environment.
ASSIGNMENT 2

Susanne Westphal, “The Yan Lu, “Poor Little Fishbowl Sink,” 2010. Jackson McConnell,
discovery of slowness.” “Lighters as critical objects,” 2011.
ASSIGNMENT 2
What can you do now to start?
● Check out the subject matter of the readings from another week – something you are interested in or
otherwise appeals

● Start to develop a summary of the reading’s significant issues and concepts

● Apply these issues and concepts to the re-design of the artefact you selected for Assessment Task 1

This is an act of critical design. Critical Design is speculative, conceptual, provocative, and can be darkly
satirical. It does not always lead to usable products, but it does produce long-term thinking, a nuanced
view of consumers as complex, contradictory individuals, and alternative solutions suggesting that change
is always possible, even inevitable.
ASSIGNMENT 2 (marking)
CRITERIA High Distinction Distinction Credit Pass Unsatisfactory
(80+) (70-79) (60-69) (50-59) (0-49)
Issues and Application
Analysis of reading is articulate and Analysis of reading demonstrates Analysis of clears is clear Analysis of reading is basic Limited analysis of reading
Ability to identify significant issues and concepts
insightful applies these ideas to the depth Re-design of artefact makes Re-design of artefact is basic Limited engagement with
from a required reading and apply these to the
re-design of the artefact in a Applies these ideas to the redesign clear reference to textual reading in the re-design of the
re-design of an object/image/space.
sophisticated manner of the artefact in a clear and research artefact
25% comprehensible manner

Justification
Demonstrates a high level of Demonstrates clear understanding of Demonstrates applied Demonstrates some Demonstrates limited
Ability to justify the reasoning for the redesign
understanding of relevant concepts/ relevant concepts/ theories and understanding of relevant understanding of relevant understanding of relevant
of the design artefact based on a required reading
theories and applies this to the re- applies this to the redesigned artefact concepts/theories concepts/theories theories
and further research.
designed artefact in an insightful clearly
25% manner

Written Summary
Is free from errors in spelling,
Clarity and cohesiveness of written expression.
grammar, punctuation. Articulate,
25% clear and concise written expression.
Is virtually free from errors in Some errors in spelling, Errors in spelling, grammar, Many errors in spelling,
spelling, grammar, punctuation. grammar, punctuation. Mostly punctuation. Written grammar, punctuation. Written
Clear and concise written expression clear written expression expression awkward expression is unclear

Referencing
References are correctly and References are mostly correctly and Some minor referencing errors Some referencing errors Inadequate referencing
Ability to correctly document sources where
accurately documented accurately documented
applicable. Chicago Author-Date
25%
ASSIGNMENT 2 (examples)
READING ACTIVITY
1. Know your purpose

Always read with a purpose in mind. For example, are you reading to:

● gain an overview of the area of study?

● locate specific information?
● understand difficult concepts?
● revise for exams?
● complete a specific assignment?

When you know why you are reading, you will be better equipped to decide how you are going to read

2. Ask yourself what you need to find out. Identify:

● Key topic words or phrases

● Questions that you want to answer

3. Break reading into segments

Break things down to manageable chunks (e.g. number of pages, articles or chapters).
READING ACTIVITY
Questioning the content helps analyse the evidence and reasoning in the text:

● What is the main point or argument?

● Does the text connect to a specific agenda or themes beyond it (e.g. a broader debate, issue or a political viewpoint)?
● What explanations or supporting evidence are drawn on? Do they seem adequate and completely relevant?
● Is all the factual information correct as far as you know?
● Is there any evidence of deliberate bias?
● Does any idea/information interest, confuse or intrigue you?

Questioning the structure helps you understand how the text develops the content:

● What is the structure of the text? What does the structure of the text reveal?
● Does the structure reflect a theoretical framework? How?
● How is the content developed? Is the material developed historically, in order of importance, in terms of a debate?
● How does the conclusion relate to the rest of the material? Does the conclusion flow logically from the findings?

Questioning the style will help you assess how the way the text is written can influence the reader:

● In what style has the material been written? E.g. Is it formal, informal, analytical, narrative, persuasive, argumentative, or
didactic?
● How do the style and format influence your reaction to the material?
for next week:

● Must have decided artefact and the next reading for assignment 2
● W4 presentations
● Attend/watch the lecture (12 pm Monday)