Module overview
In a world immersed in a process of change, facing social and sustainable significant challenges, this module focuses on the capacity of creative practices to set out potential new scenarios and creative futures. It will encourage you to think and discuss critically about democratic forms of innovation through citizen participation (collaborative and environmental practices, activism, social innovation, economic sustainability, etc.). The module will encourage you to reflect on the impact of relevant theories related to contemporary design. This module will also present and study various examples of creative projects providing solutions to the challenges faced by current society (sustainable moving, living, consuming, learning or well-being), innovative projects based upon new ways of living, new ecologies of relationship or new scenarios.
This optional core module is designed to broaden your studies and provide you with an interdisciplinary learning experience with peers from a range of art and design subjects. The module will provide you with new perspectives and introduce you to themes and practices that can be critically explored to inform your ongoing development, interests and skills.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- connect and apply key themes and research resources with your programme or professional discipline.
- manage your time and meet deadlines;
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- identify central themes and problematics in social and cultural issues in creative arts and design contexts;
- locate yourself within the debate around environmental design and sustainability, in consideration with wider local and global communities.
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- theoretical concepts and practices relevant to creative futures;
- the role of interpersonal skills and approaching issues from multiple perspectives and disciplines.
- practices that demonstrate an understanding of creative solutions to the social and environmental challenges faced by society;
Syllabus
This module presents you to some of the current debates that are central to an ethical understanding of creative practices and their impact on the future world. It will bring you new points of view from which to confront your future projects, tentative actions of design or art setting out potentially new scenarios.
Indicative content for the module will normally include:
- Local solutions - small projects pushing other changes that must take place at every scale
- Connected - small projects in the hyper connected and global world
- Open – unfinished, open-ended projects, multiple activities generator
- Collaborative – with people, institutions and associations, working with experts in social innovation
- Creative – creative communities committed to create value
- Bottom up –active involvement of people directly concerned
- Into context – developed into and with the social context
- Small projects, large changes - transferring knowledge directly to society
- Environmental sustainability – for a sustainable society
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Teaching methods include:
- lectures;
- workshops;
- tutorials.
Learning Activities
- peer group seminar;
- self-directed research and reading;
- group tutorial on feedback.
Relationship between the teaching, learning and assessment methods and the planned learning outcomes
You will be introduced to a range of subject material through lectures and seminars. You will have the opportunity to discuss and debate these subjects in seminar groups. You will be encouraged to research and study particular aspects of social responsibility and ethical practices in design, design communication and related practices, with regards to your own subject discipline. You will have the opportunity to critically reflect on your study discipline or your creative practice, and to debate your awareness of ethical issues in the creative arts and design contexts.
Type | Hours |
---|---|
Seminar | 4 |
Wider reading or practice | 16 |
Completion of assessment task | 20 |
Revision | 10 |
Project supervision | 4 |
Follow-up work | 16 |
Preparation for scheduled sessions | 64 |
Lecture | 10 |
Tutorial | 2 |
Practical classes and workshops | 4 |
Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
Internet Resources
RSA.
Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Circular Economy.
Textiles Environment Design (TED).
Sustainability Design Fashion (Fletcher, K).
Textile Toolbox Facebook group (Earley, R).
Journal Articles
CoDesign. International Journal of CoCreation in Design and the Arts.
Design Issues.
Fashion Theory.
Design Studies. The Interdisciplinary Journal of Design Research.
Textbooks
Spampinato, F. (2015). Come together: the rise of cooperative art and design. New York: Princeton Architectural.
Fletcher, K. and Grosse, L. (2012). Fashion & Sustainability, Design for Change. London: Laurence King Publishing.
Weibel, P. (2015). Global activism: art and conflict in the 21st century. Karlsruhe: ZKM.
Fuad-Luke, A. (2009). Design Activism: Beautiful Strangeness for a Sustainable World. London: Earthscan.
Fletcher, K. (2016). Craft of Use: Post-Growth Fashion. Abingdon: Routledge.
Thackara, J. (2005). In the Bubble Designing in a Complex World. Cambridge: The MIT Press.
Greer, B. (2014). The Art of Craft and Activism. Vancouver: Arsenal Pulp Press.
Telier, A. [et al.] (2011). Design Things. Cambridge: MIT Press.
McGuirk, J. Herrero Delicado, G. (2017). Fear and Love. Reactions to a Complex World. London: Phaidon.
Seabrook, J. (2015). The High Price of Cheap Garments, from Blackburn to Bangladesh. London: C. Hurst & Co.
Antonelli, P. (2006). Safe. Design Takes On Risk. New York: The Museum of Modern Art.
Black, S. (2011). Eco-Chic: The Fashion Paradox. London: Black Dog Publishing Ltd.
Manzini, E. (2015). Design, When Everybody Designs. An Introduction to Design for Social Innovation. Cambridge: The MIT Press.
Black, S. (2012). The Sustainable Fashion Handbook. London: Thames and Hudson.
Siegle, L. (2011). To Die For: Is Fashion Wearing out the World?. London: Fourth Estate.
McDonough, W. and Braungart, M. (2013). The Upcycle: Beyond Sustainability – Designing for Abundance. New York: North Point Press.
De Laure, M. (2017). Culture Jamming. Activism and the Art of Cultural Resistance. New York: NYU Press.
Pelle, E. [et al.] (2014). Making Futures. Marginal Notes on Innovation, Design, and Democracy. Cambridge: MIT Press.
Flood, C., Grindon, G. (2014). Disobedient objects. London: V&A.
Assessment
Formative
This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.
Illustrated essay
- Assessment Type: Formative
- Feedback: Essay proposal with written feedback. There will be a variety of opportunities for formative feedback in the module: •Weeks 4-5 group Tutorials •seminars •peer-group assessment •self-assessment The interim submission of their proposal is an opportunity for a closer examination of students’ needs and targeted individual written feedback on specifically designed templates, which indicate marking criteria.
- Final Assessment: No
- Group Work: No
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
Method | Percentage contribution |
---|---|
Illustrated essay | 100% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
Method | Percentage contribution |
---|---|
Illustrated essay | 100% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
Method | Percentage contribution |
---|---|
Illustrated essay | 100% |