5.2 More-than-Human Design in the Real World: Resistance, Regeneration, and Radical Solidarity

Corresponding Chairs

Cristina Zaga, University of Twente, The Netherlands

Iohanna Nincemboim, TU Delft, The Netherlands

Co-Chairs

Elisa Giaccardi, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy

Joseph Lindley, Lancaster University, UK

Arne Berger, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Germany

Claudia Garduño García, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico

Laura Forlano, Northeastern University, USA

Abstract

Design intended for positive impact has often had the opposite effect, harming humans and nature, and fueling extractivism and inequality. Design research challenges extractivist and anthropocentric models by adopting more-than-human approaches that view humans as active participants in ecosystems, rather than merely exploiting nature through technology.

Despite the rise of More-than-Human approaches in design and HCI, a clearer understanding of their real-world social and environmental impacts is still needed.

Building on and expanding the scope of the More-than-Human Design in Practice track at DRS 2024, we invite submissions on how More-than-Human Design extends beyond academia and design to ignite societal change. We aim to explore how More-than-Human Design can support (i) resistance by shifting power and fostering imagination for all affected by oppression, (ii) regeneration through mutualism to enhance ecological relationships among humans, other species, and technologies, and (iii) radical solidarity by forming interspecies alliances to address societal challenges.

We encourage submissions around:

• More-than-Human Design research/practice that has (the potential of) societal or ecological impact, in collaboration with industry and other disciplines.

• Examples of potential applications or approaches to teaching more-than-human thinking in practical and/or everyday contexts

• Works that have not been articulated yet as More-than-Human Design but support resistance, regeneration, and/or radical solidarity. Position papers and provocations are welcome, too.

Ultimately, we want to showcase how More-than-Human Design has the potential to drive change and inspire political action by addressing planetary-scale challenges (e.g., climate change, resource extractivism, techno-feudalism, water scarcity, rising inequalities) that start at the local grassroots level.

Keywords

More-than-Human Design, resistance, regeneration, radical solidarity, social change

References

Nicenboim, I., Lindley, J., Zaga, C., Berger, A., Forlano, L., & Giaccardi, E. (2024). More-Than-Human Design in Practice.

Elisa Giaccardi, Valentina Rognoli, Emma Sicher, Francesco Nappo, Francesco Vergani, Laura Forlano, and Martín Tironi. 2025. More-than-(just)-human Politics of Relating. Proc. 10th STS Italia Conference, 11 - 13 June, Milano, Italy

Marcos Chilet, Martín Tironi, Iohanna Nicenboim, and Joseph Lindley. 2024. Designing with planetary artificial intelligence. In More-Than-Human Design in Practice (1st Edition). Routledge, London, 93–104

Kalfagianni, A., Pedersen, S., & Stevis, D. (2024). Planetary justice: a systematic analysis of an emerging discourse. Environmental Politics, 33(7), 1146-1165.

Zaga, C., Matos-Castaño, J., and van der Voort, M. (2024) Transdisciplinarity: Taking stock beyond buzzwords and outlining an agenda for design research, in Gray, C., Hekkert, P., Forlano, L., Ciuccarelli, P. (eds.), DRS2024: Boston, 23–28 June, Boston, USA.