A Critical Theory Perspective on Information Technology and Design

Catalog description

This course introduces students to critical perspectives on design in order to promote a more just and equitable society. Students learn about the roles designers play in shaping the systems that ameliorate and exacerbate inequality and environmental degradation, as well as ways to navigate ethical conflicts in design. By learning about critical design theories, students will develop a personal sense of the role of design in society. Critical design theories address issues of inequality based on gender, race, ethnicity, ability, nationality and culture. Students will then apply the theories to analyses of complex technical systems. Students will learn to analyze complex technical systems as layered architectures, with deep interdependencies. Understanding this complexity highlights the multitude of design decisions and policies needed to promote systems of equity and social justice. Students will also learn how organizational, industry and public policies shape these systems. While much attention is typically paid to public policy and law, in IT many decisions are made by private firms. In this way, firm and industry self-regulatory policies play an important role in design. The understanding of critical design theory, layered architectures, and policy is then applied to devise strategies to impact design.