Who are we now and what do we believe in?

Elizabeth Resnick, Associate Professor, Communication Design, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston.

What if the notion of a 'citizen designer'—a person who endeavors to focus on societal issues as a part of or in addition to their professional practice—could fit into the existing framework that defines contemporary practice? Could such a designer truly affect social or political change while carrying on with business as usual? And if so, how do we, design educators, inspire and train these young designers?

It is this notion that inspires my desire to both develop and collect socially responsibility pedagogical material and assignment briefs currently taught within contemporary design curriculum globally. My goal is to produce a book publication providing assignment briefs, tools and resources for students, educators and professionals.

My presentation will primarily focus on an assignment brief given over a 4-year range to Graphic Design 2 students (first-semester juniors) that has successfully exposed them to and encouraged their interest in becoming 'citizen designers'.