Our fourth issue of Design Enquiry reminds us that design is located in the world beyond our practice, shaping individuals, communities, and our understanding of the natural world. It features an article on the experience of being left-handed in a right-handed world, and how the design of objects reflects this bias (among others); while another speaks to the reading experiences of people with dyslexia and how these might be addressed within typographic practice – each advocating for accessibility and inclusive design practices.

Two powerful explorations of racism within the design field examine the ongoing marginalisation of Black designers within the industry; and ask how ‘white supremacy’ and a lack of representation operates within the design world. Rethinking and challenging simplistic notions of identity and the self, another article presents a particular concern for the omissions of “hyphenated individuals” within institutional archives.

An article on time and utility within capitalism reminds us of the need to slow down, to “reunite with materiality” (not just screens), and reclaim time. Returning to the theme of time, elsewhere we are invited to think about memory and nostalgia as something we might fear the political abuses of, as well as celebrate. Finally, we are asked to consider how images might bridge the divide between human and non-human worlds; inviting us to think of such images “as a beacon, guiding us back to an understanding of our intrinsic relationship with the natural world”.

Through these reflections, we are encouraged to see design as a force that not only shapes objects but also redefines our relationships with each other and the world around us.

In this third volume, the use of satire and humour to expose injustice and corruption is traced from Hogarth to Private Eye and beyond, demonstrating its enduring relevance. Reality and unreality as mediated through technology, recurs in a meditation on AI and the question of whether we are (already), living in a simulation. The politics of ownership, appropriation and role of the image, are critically examined in relation to both digital and analogue contexts.

The anger which stems from marginalisation is explored through the lens(es) of race, gender, and queerness, with an intersectional analysis that addresses the production and effects of such oppression head-on. A fictional guide to life on a new planet uses the literary form of science fiction to explore and transport us to this imagined world. An investigation of queerness and ‘nature’ proposes that we are all connected, challenging the dominant heteronormative paradigms of society, and posing a ‘queer ecology’ as an alternative. Elsewhere neoliberalism and capitalism are scrutinized through a ‘Situationist’ lens, and finally, a celebration and critique of the ‘tropes’ of fandom closes out the volume.

Collectively, these pieces invite us to rethink power, identity, and society through the transformative lens of design and critique.

Our second volume of Design Enquiry explores alternative and creative forms of writing, stretching our understanding of the essay form. These experiments include a script on what is and isn’t ‘real’, in four parts; an ‘interview’ exploring the manipulative effect of film on society; and an ode to the (death of), the Avant Garde.

Elsewhere, an article critiques the divisive language used to enforce a ‘hostile environment’, calling for ‘migrant justice’ to shift the terms of the debate. Another essay explores the politics and aesthetics of subcultures, linking music, clothing and design to class. The persistent power of storytelling and fiction is revealed through the ‘literary patterns’ and forms of books, while the fairytales (and horror stories) of modern dating apps are recounted.

Each of these pieces, in different ways, ask whether design can be used as a tool for social change, through different uses of language, image and interaction.

Our first group of authors explore a wide range of subjects, from the loss of human dignity entailed by so-called ‘emotional’ AI systems, to the politics of self-care during Covid (and as a counter to capitalist cultural forms). They have written about how technology and spiritualism can deepen our understanding of contemporary technologies, and the influence of Black hair culture and its representations on screen.

One article examines how new forms of ‘knowing’ through multisensory experiences might enhance understanding within archives and education, while another reflects on fractal patterns and the unconscious mind. A final article examines new, utopian visions of the world, prompted by an optimistic view of how we might emerge from the pandemic into a future shaped by arts and culture, with a more collective and hopeful outlook – imagining (and enacting) a new kind of politics in the process.

Together, these pieces offer fresh perspectives on how design can shape our understanding of society, culture, and the future.