What is Decolonization?
To decolonize design means fundamentally reshaping the industry’s structure to foster diversity and provide a platform for indigenous art and people to express their ideologies through art. It involves a shift away from the Eurocentric influences imposed during colonialism and a return to the original belief systems that existed before colonial rule. Diversity, on the other hand, involves inclusivity and ensuring that everyone has a seat at the table, while decolonization entails changing one’s mindset.
The concept of “colonization” is deeply linked to the historical oppression experienced by indigenous communities, particularly the imposition of Western ideologies on their societies. Originally, “decolonization” referred to a state’s withdrawal from a former colony, but in modern discussions, it encompasses a broader range of ideas. It recognizes that Western societies were built upon the colonization of other nations, highlighting both privilege and oppression within the system.
How to Decolonize?
Activist and Writer Angela Davis defines “radical” as “going to the root,” suggesting that solving a problem requires addressing its root causes. Similarly, decolonization requires identifying the root of the issue, which often lies in education. Colonial powers established institutions and imposed their way of life on colonized nations, aiming to create spaces suitable for themselves. According to theorist Ramón Grosfoguel, Western universities tend to promote knowledge from a limited range of thinkers—mostly male, white, and Western. Many design schools also follow a Eurocentric teaching model.
Over the decades, American and British academics shaped the definition of design, leading to the widespread use of terms like “design thinking” and “human-centered design” by the 1980s. These terms were seen as idealistic principles and European nations sought to homogenize design and design principles. However, this approach may have negative consequences for society as a whole.
Rediscovering the identity of a nation
In India, the process of colonization led to the loss of identity of the nation. Thus, decolonizing means understanding “who we are as a nation” first before the pre-colonial roots. Designers draw inspiration from their work based on their taste, and this taste is frequently shaped by their early life experiences and exposures. However, the root problem lies here, the ‘cannon’ of design philosophies and expression taught to students is mostly Eurocentric and not indigenous. Stating these designs as crafts. Distinguishing traditional craftsmanship from modern design can imply a hierarchy that diminishes the significance of design histories and practices from diverse cultures. Loss of local perspectives when these Modernistic values are universalized. The canon’s influence has diminished the value of creations from non-Western societies and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, relegating items like Ghanaian textiles to the category of craft instead of design. In the same way, the Indian cotton textiles were exploited by the East India Company. With the introduction of quicker mass production of British block printing, Indian textiles were viewed as expensive. The Swadeshi movement headed by Mahatma Gandhi can be viewed as a starting point to decolonize design by introducing Indian handspun fabric. Hence, decolonizing is about how to celebrate what we have, amplify that, and translate it globally and confidently across a medium.
Decolonizing is a tool to reflect.
Design does not exist in a vacuum; designers have to work on issues together. Unlearning what timeless design is and moving towards authenticity by unwrapping ideas where specific design comes from can give a fresh new perspective to initiate change. Dismantle the paternalistic outlook that was undertaken to universalize design and design philosophies. Hence there is a need to reflect and reconstruct contemporary design education.
To confront the biases it becomes essential to study non-Western cultures and their design methodologies. This research is ever-evolving and hence needs to start somewhere and it starts from designers to look inward and be authentic.
It is essential to understand the unique visual language and create a vocabulary that individual communities understand. Hence, design solutions can be provided to serve the needs of the people. This view of designing becomes essential in decolonization.
To tackle this aspect of colonialism, endeavors like Urbz in Mumbai and Hunnarshala in Gujarat are actively enabling communities to confront their housing insecurities by proposing community-centric design solutions.
Be authentic by looking inward.
In India, discussions concerning decolonization are intimately connected to introspective investigations aimed at defining and representing a genuine and influential Indian identity.
If India is talked about alone the dialects and cultures keep changing from 20 km hence it becomes unfair to singularize the design and language in India alone. Hence if a solution for decolonizing design education worldwide, plurality in design language and philosophy can be adopted as a means to diversify the current scenario. The main focus can be to look at a world that fits many worlds. This pluralistic approach to design may be the stepping stone to decolonizing design education standards that are hard to set and need to be confronted with.
References:
(n.d.). Human Architecture: Journal of the Sociology of Self-Knowledge | Vol 11 | Iss 1. Retrieved October 8, 2023, from https://scholarworks.umb.edu/humanarchitecture/vol11/iss1/
(2019, March 9)- YouTube. Retrieved October 8, 2023, from https://www.google.com/search?q=+Decolonized+Design+Education&sca_esv=570934989&sxsrf=AM9HkKnblrTEPgEyiJwocRhC1aJS8RnKJg%3A1696498881715&ei=wYQeZaqvK7mt4-EP-pOUyAU&ved=0ahUKEwjqk9Ppzt6BAxW51jgGHfoJBVkQ4dUDCBE&uact=5&oq=+Decolonized+Design+Education&gs_lp=E
Khandwala, A., & Hirsch, A. (2019, June 5). What Does It Mean to Decolonize Design? AIGA Eye on Design. Retrieved October 8, 2023, from https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/what-does-it-mean-to-decolonize-design/
