Cultivating Care: Ethical Pedagogy For Collaboration In Public Spaces

We are witnessing a significant shift toward inclusivity in the global design paradigm, where thought leaders emphasize collaborative design. Opposed to traditional perspectives that hail the designer possessing awareness of special forms of knowledge and place them in an authoritative position, designers are now seen as integral team members (Herriott, 2023), contributing to a larger context and promoting collaborative good (Costanza-Chock, 2020). The new paradigm advocates for addressing complex global challenges through holistic, socially responsible, and systems-oriented approaches (Lima, 2023) (Norman, 2024). While this conversation about design practice is infiltrating mainstream thought, there is yet to be radical shifts in design pedagogy needed to sustain this momentum. Engaging new generations of designers in social challenges necessitates rethinking their roles in social innovation processes (Tjahja & Yee, 2022). At this juncture, it is crucial for educators to envision a pedagogy for a just design future that embodies a culture of care. Furthermore, there is increasing recognition of the socio-political contexts shaping design, emphasizing that it does not exist in isolation. While many design schools engage with communities, particularly those from lower economic strata, they often unintentionally commodify these people and places, extracting value for student learning without giving back, especially in public space and social innovation projects. The authors have triangulated their findings from their research and praxis in three areas: a) Pedagogical design for inclusion b) Design for inclusive attitudes, and c) Reciprocal and responsible community engagement. Based on this triangulation, this abstract proposes a new schema in design education—an ethical design pedagogy infused with an attitude of care. This schema embeds aforementioned perspectives on collaborative, reciprocal design in Freire's (1970) and Hooks' (1994) critical pedagogies. The principles of this schema are: Positionality: 1. Collaborative, Designer-Uncentered Approach (democratic inquiry) 2. Attitudes of Care, Inclusiveness and Equity Methodology: 1. Cultural Sensitivity, Contextual Awareness and Real-World Contexts 2. Systems Thinking with transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary outlooks 3. Active and Engaged Learning in the Classroom 4. Reflective & Critical Practice (Awareness of Existing Power Dynamics and One’s Own Process) Impact: 1. Education to Drive Industry 2. Reciprocity of Knowledge, Care and Applicability to Real World The paper outlines practical aspects of applying the proposed schema through two case studies of design studio modules: one in Mumbai, India, and another in Florence, Italy. Both modules were conducted for early undergraduate design students across various streams. By comparing two similar levels of study in distinct socio-political contexts with varying levels of citizen power and agency, the case studies evaluate the schema through student work and reflections.