Design Anthropology
Theory and Practice
Ton Otto editor Wendy Gunn editor Rachel Charlotte Smith editor
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd
Published:29th Aug '13
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
Design Anthropology provides the definitive introduction to the field of design anthropology and the concepts, methods, practices and challenges of this exciting and emerging area of study
Design is a key site of cultural production and change in contemporary society. Anthropologists have been involved in design projects for several decades but only recently a new field of inquiry has emerged which aims to integrate the strengths of design thinking and anthropological research.Design is a key site of cultural production and change in contemporary society. Anthropologists have been involved in design projects for several decades but only recently a new field of inquiry has emerged which aims to integrate the strengths of design thinking and anthropological research.This book is written by anthropologists who actively participate in the development of design anthropology. Comprising both cutting-edge explorations and theoretical reflections, it provides a much-needed introduction to the concepts, methods, practices and challenges of the new field. Design Anthropology moves from observation and interpretation to collaboration, intervention and co-creation. Its practitioners participate in multidisciplinary design teams working towards concrete solutions for problems that are sometimes ill-defined. The authors address the critical potential of design anthropology in a wide range of design activities across the globe and query the impact of design on the discipline of anthropology.This volume will appeal to new and experienced practitioners in the field as well as to students of anthropology, innovation, science and technology studies, and a wide range of design studies focusing on user participation, innovation, and collaborative research.
"Design Anthropology will interest those engaged at the intersections of anthropology and design and, indeed, engineering and science and other future-making practices, and in years to come it will be an interesting document of a moment in intellectual history. - Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute - Eeva Berglund
There is significant demand for a text such as this from industry and academia alike, as well as from students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels ... Even the short blurbs about contributors are a useful resource ... [The book also features] a well-rounded bibliography ... [and] an attractive series of colour photographs and diagrams. - Journal of Design History
Designers and anthropologists have long worked together but the broader questions of how design and anthropology both inform and contextualize each other as contemporary projects remain very much in flux. This volume alone will not settle the matter but its broad view valuably maps out the terrain and illustrates what is at stake. It collects case studies, thoughtful reflections, and provocative proposals that do not simply illustrate the richness of this encounter but sketch the transformative conceptual impact that it has for both sides. For all of us who work, think, teach, write, and dwell in this exciting interdisciplinary space, these essays will be of tremendous value. - Paul Dourish, Professor of Informatics, University of California, Irvine, USA
Design Anthropology is essential reading for anthropologists who want to make a difference in the world and designers who seek to understand the world in which they wish to make a difference. - Sarah Pink, Professor at the Design Research Institute and the School of Media and Communications at RMIT, Australia."
ISBN: 9780857853691
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 740g
330 pages