Abstract
Theme track 11.2 brings together six contributions that acknowledge the interdependence of all things and, as such, challenge consolidated suprematist thinking and systemic inequities through the lens of relationality. However, they do not seek pathways towards justice and equity through revenge, hardened frontiers, and divides, but through collaborative practices grounded in collective inquiry, between those affected by injustices and those who hold decision-making power. The research and design experiments, case studies, and theoretical musings of this track aim to achieve reconciliation among actors who represent diverse, sometimes conflicting, positions, knowledge systems, and practices, rather than those that reinforce polarization, even if unintended, through one-sided ideologies, simplistic solutionism, or even well-intended top-down management. Designers and design researchers who get the word in our track session introduce themselves as (self)-critically reflective and creative fosterers of mediation processes and mutually beneficial scenarios between diverse human and non-human actors. This track is optimistic and forward-looking in showing pathways towards increased equity, leaning on the track’s name, equiponderance, which indicates the balancing and considerate nature of reconciliation processes.
Keywords
Equiponderance; Design Ontologies; Design for Reconciliation; Relationality; Pluriversality
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.216
Citation
Kulick, G., Garcia, L., Montalvan Lume, J., Hohl, M., and Kosok, F. (2026) Relationality as Reconciliation – Designing for Equiponderance, in Simeone, L., Gray, C. M., Verhoeven, A., de Götzen, A., Bakırlıoğlu, Y., Zohar, H., Stead, M., and Buwert, P. (eds.), DRS2026: Edinburgh, 8–12 June, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.216
Creative Commons License
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Included in
Relationality as Reconciliation – Designing for Equiponderance
Theme track 11.2 brings together six contributions that acknowledge the interdependence of all things and, as such, challenge consolidated suprematist thinking and systemic inequities through the lens of relationality. However, they do not seek pathways towards justice and equity through revenge, hardened frontiers, and divides, but through collaborative practices grounded in collective inquiry, between those affected by injustices and those who hold decision-making power. The research and design experiments, case studies, and theoretical musings of this track aim to achieve reconciliation among actors who represent diverse, sometimes conflicting, positions, knowledge systems, and practices, rather than those that reinforce polarization, even if unintended, through one-sided ideologies, simplistic solutionism, or even well-intended top-down management. Designers and design researchers who get the word in our track session introduce themselves as (self)-critically reflective and creative fosterers of mediation processes and mutually beneficial scenarios between diverse human and non-human actors. This track is optimistic and forward-looking in showing pathways towards increased equity, leaning on the track’s name, equiponderance, which indicates the balancing and considerate nature of reconciliation processes.