Designing (Post)Colonial Knowledge: Imagining South Asia

Design studies have emerged as a critical field of inquiry over the past 20 years, linking the emotional commitments of practitioners and audiences to the making and uses of design work. This collected volume explores the relationship between material culture and its construction of knowledge about multicultural identities in the colonial and postcolonial periods, with a focus on South Asia. The chapters pose questions about colonial history, cultural practices, and the aestheticization of South Asian art, design, and media forms. The sites of investigation reflect the interdisciplinarity of design studies and emphasize the vernacular.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 150 pages
Publication date: 25 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Over the past two decades, critical design studies have emerged as a vibrant and influential field, attracting scholars, activists, and professionals from diverse sectors. Design studies have provided a powerful platform for critics to explore the intricate connections between the construction of knowledge and the emotional investments that practitioners and audiences bring to the creation and consumption of design work. By delving into these practices with a critical eye, scholars have been able to uncover pressing issues such as the distribution of power, the emotional resonances, and the experiences generated within different designs.

At the same time, the interdisciplinary nature of design studies has drawn upon a wide range of fields, including art history, architecture, public policy, and Geographic Information Systems. This comprehensive collection, the first of its kind, engages with these critical inquiries through the lens of post-colonial studies and media and cultural studies. It contributes to a growing body of scholarship that examines the intricate relationship between material culture and the construction of knowledge about multicultural identities in the colonial and postcolonial periods, with a particular focus on South Asia.

The chapters in this book raise thought-provoking questions about colonial history, cultural practices, and the aestheticization of South Asian art, design, and media forms. They explore how these elements shape identities in a deterritorialized global culture, challenging traditional narratives and highlighting the complexities and nuances of cultural expression.

The sites of investigation showcased in this book reflect the interdisciplinary nature of design studies and the emphasis on the vernacular. Indian fashion design, lithographic design in Muslim princely states, and Indian floor drawings coexist alongside museum exhibitions, shopping malls, and film spaces, highlighting the diverse and dynamic ways in which design shapes and influences our lives.

Originally published as a special issue of South Asian Popular Culture, this book showcases the rich and diverse perspectives of scholars and practitioners from around the world. It serves as a valuable resource for students, researchers, and anyone interested in understanding the complex relationship between design, knowledge, and cultural identity.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 246 x 174 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367726126