Design as/for Common(s): Decolonial Participatory Experiences for Post-Capitalist Resilient Future(s)

Abstract

The catastrophic effects of the Anthropocene are evident. Manifestations of crisis are not only environmental, but also economic, social, political and ethical: combined with the dystopian imaginaries of the future, they suggest the need for a paradigm shift. The Commons are seen as an alternative for a transition to a post-capitalist economy. Yet, Design for social innovation is understood as a humanitarian action and remains linked to the logic of commodification; reason why some call for decolonizing Design from Western abstractions. The focus is on the relationship between Design and Commons, with particular attention to decolonial thinking. Following an action research approach that consisted in “inhabiting” the oasis of Chenini in Tunisia as a Commons in crisis, the idea was to understand the role of Design in the paradigm shift from an extractivist growth economy to a resource economy; Design as attached to situations rather than objects.