Abstract
With the growing influence of digital transformation on global communities, critically examining the interaction between digital technologies and traditional cultures is becoming more pressing, especially in minority groups. This paper explores the complex relationships between digital technologies and cultural landscape in Eastern Tibet based on a 34-day ethnography study by photographic materials from 28 counties and cities. Through looking into these visual materials, also including observations and interviews, the tension surrounding commercialization, public relations, creative expressions, and the environment are uncovered. We discuss the unintended and pervasive consequences of modernization, including cultural homogenization and the rise of individualism, imagining possible future ways and resilient future.The paper emphasized the significant role of design in shaping these outcomes and advocates for a more inclusive and collective approach to design practices. By understanding and highlighting these dynamics, this paper aims to provide guidance to designers in promoting a resilient and sustainable digital transformation.
Keywords
digital technology; transformation design; minority communities; ethnography
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2024.976
Citation
Liu, Z., Sun, H., Peng, Z., Duan, Z., and Pan, D. (2024) Cultural transition by digital technologies: invasion or empowerment?, in Gray, C., Ciliotta Chehade, E., Hekkert, P., Forlano, L., Ciuccarelli, P., Lloyd, P. (eds.), DRS2024: Boston, 23–28 June, Boston, USA. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2024.976
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Research Paper
Included in
Cultural transition by digital technologies: invasion or empowerment?
With the growing influence of digital transformation on global communities, critically examining the interaction between digital technologies and traditional cultures is becoming more pressing, especially in minority groups. This paper explores the complex relationships between digital technologies and cultural landscape in Eastern Tibet based on a 34-day ethnography study by photographic materials from 28 counties and cities. Through looking into these visual materials, also including observations and interviews, the tension surrounding commercialization, public relations, creative expressions, and the environment are uncovered. We discuss the unintended and pervasive consequences of modernization, including cultural homogenization and the rise of individualism, imagining possible future ways and resilient future.The paper emphasized the significant role of design in shaping these outcomes and advocates for a more inclusive and collective approach to design practices. By understanding and highlighting these dynamics, this paper aims to provide guidance to designers in promoting a resilient and sustainable digital transformation.