Ecologies of Contestation in Participatory Design

Abstract

How do various forms of contestation and agonism in collective social contexts challenge and transform Participatory Design (PD)? Under what conditions does agonism lead to productive outcomes, expand participation and social inclusion? In this paper, we highlight key insights and issues emerging from three case studies, where design practitioners engaged in PD projects for urban and cultural transformation in New York City and Cambridge. Wide-ranging interviews and participatory workshops reveal how PD is transformed by different “ecologies” inherent in the socio-cultural conditions, power relations, design constraints, and intrinsic values of practitioners grappling with contestation and seeking to engage agonistic pluralism.