Tricky Design: The Ethics of Things

Format: Hardback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 13 December 2018
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Tricky Design responds to the growing scholarly interest in the cultural meanings of objects by delving into the moral complexity of certain designed objects and systems. The volume brings together renowned international designers, scholars, and critics to explore the ways in which the practice of design and its outcomes can have a darker side, even when intended for the public good. Spanning a range of designed objects and relationships, including guns, eyewear, assisted suicide kits, anti-rape devices, passports, and prisons, the contributors offer a nuanced view of design as both progressive and problematic. They argue that design can propose new material and human relationships but is also constrained by social norms and ideology.

The editors' introduction situates the objects, systems, services, and things discussed in the book within the concept of the trickster, which is prevalent in anthropological literature and classical thought. It discusses design interventions that have both positive and negative ethical consequences, encompassing both material and immaterial objects, systems with local and global reach, and diverse design processes.

This significant new volume offers a fresh perspective on the intricate nature of things and makes a groundbreaking contribution to debates in design ethics, design philosophy, and material culture. It sheds light on the ethical dilemmas and challenges inherent in designing for society and provides valuable insights for designers, policymakers, and stakeholders alike.

Weight: 534g
Dimension: 241 x 161 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781474277181