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Paper Short Abstract:

How can design democratise technology, addressing the gap between Global North and Global South? This paper portrays the efforts to reshape (co)design practices by global south design students, to narrow ecological and educational gaps, celebrating the diversity of many worlds within one.

Paper Abstract:

Design and technology share a longstanding symbiotic relationship, historically serving to showcase technological advancements. Design plays a crucial role in modifying people's interactions with objects, often portraying the latest technological innovations. Additionally, design responds not only to the interests of designers but also to stakeholders and corporations.

However, global design perspectives have created disparities, exacerbating the divide between technology and minority groups. In the global north, design is viewed as a problem-solving process intricately linked to cutting-edge technology. Conversely, in the global south, design is seen as a colonising imposition, resulting in products often perceived as luxury items, overshadowing design contributions of indigenous communities. This dynamic also tends to overlook the environmental repercussions of production practices in the global south.

This paper delves into the potential of design for democratising technology. Drawing examples from the School of Design at the Anáhuac University in Cancún, México, it examines the challenges in educating design students from the global south. The focus is on utilising technology for the benefit of indigenous communities in southern Mexico, as well as addressing issues within the country's educational health systems.

The aim of this paper is to highlight efforts to reshape practices in design schools across the global south. The goal is to move away from replicating design processes dictated by technology from the global north and instead democratise (co)design. By doing so, the objective is to narrow ecological and educational gaps within these environments, ultimately contributing to create resilient futures that celebrate many worlds within one.