Abstract
Today, many design problems involve complex social and political issues; however, design students often struggle to comprehend the intricacies of these challenges and the depth of existing knowledge. Sociology provides foundational principles for understanding and influencing society, including strategies for supporting communities in combating injustice across various domains. Addressing critical, participatory, inclusive, and speculative design by embedding social justice in design pedagogy allows students/designers to better reflect on the ethical and social consequences of perpetuating stereotypes and provides a starting point for addressing social issues that arise from injustice. We propose that there are three main reasons for incorporating social justice into design education: 1) to develop socially responsible and ethical designers; 2) to encourage critical reflection on how design perpetuates or challenges social inequalities; and 3) to empower designers as agents of social change. We argue that integrating social justice into the curriculum provides designers with essential knowledge and research practices for long-term problem-solving, with the potential to transform the discipline’s influence and foster more socially conscious communication in the future.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drslxd.2025.023
Citation
Rong, A.,and Edward, N.H.(2025) Sociology through/with design: Embedding Social Justice into Design Pedagogy, in Clemente, V., Gomes, G., Reis, M., Félix, S., Ala, S., Jones, D. (eds.), Learn X Design 2025, 22-24 September 2025, Aveiro, Portugal. https://doi.org/10.21606/drslxd.2025.023
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Conference Track
Full Paper
Sociology through/with design: Embedding Social Justice into Design Pedagogy
Today, many design problems involve complex social and political issues; however, design students often struggle to comprehend the intricacies of these challenges and the depth of existing knowledge. Sociology provides foundational principles for understanding and influencing society, including strategies for supporting communities in combating injustice across various domains. Addressing critical, participatory, inclusive, and speculative design by embedding social justice in design pedagogy allows students/designers to better reflect on the ethical and social consequences of perpetuating stereotypes and provides a starting point for addressing social issues that arise from injustice. We propose that there are three main reasons for incorporating social justice into design education: 1) to develop socially responsible and ethical designers; 2) to encourage critical reflection on how design perpetuates or challenges social inequalities; and 3) to empower designers as agents of social change. We argue that integrating social justice into the curriculum provides designers with essential knowledge and research practices for long-term problem-solving, with the potential to transform the discipline’s influence and foster more socially conscious communication in the future.