This document provides an overview of Cameron Paterson's work exploring systems of power through a critical design lens. It acknowledges indigenous peoples and discusses having a moment to reflect on injustice. It then outlines some norms for discussion and asks students to sketch a powerful person. The document examines power structures and oppressive design, asking questions about representation, participation, and power dynamics. It frames systems thinking and developing sensitivity to issues of design, power, and participation in order to reimagine more just and equitable systems. The goal is to empower students to critically examine everyday design and structures in order to amplify marginalized voices and challenge the status quo.

1. Unsettled: Exploring
Systems of Power
Cameron Paterson
cdp151@mail.harvard.edu
@cpaterso

2. We acknowledge the
sovereign first peoples of
these lands and waters, the
Bunurong Peoples of the
Kulin nation. We pay our
respects to their elders,
past and present and to all
descendants of this nation
who have cared for this
place since creation. We
also honour all other
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islanders.

3. What do you do, and where?

4. A moment for injustice, oppression, suffering, surviving. Rather
than a moment of silence, let’s have a moment unsilenced.
Where do you want to send your light, your energy, your prayers?

5. Norms
Be gentle and
generous
Use ‘I’ statements,
not ‘We’
statements.
Expect and
embrace a lack of
closure

6. In one minute,
quickly sketch a
powerful person

8. Power walk

9. Messages
What do you
think the
messages are?
Choices
What design
choices did the
artist make?
How do these
choices help
express the
message(s)?

10. Lookingcriticallyat the
design of objects and
systems,including systems
ofpowerand oppression
Exploring and interrogating
context, representation,
identity, and positionality
Reimagining a more just
world and how one might
participate innew and
"better" ways
Critical Sensitivity to Design

11. Discriminatory design

12. - Who isrepresented?
- Who isnot?
- Why?
- Whosevoicesare valued and who decideswhat is
considered "valuable?"
- Who isinvited to participate?
- Whoisparticipatingwithoutrealizingit?
- Whoisparticipatingwithoutconsentingto?
- Who hasthe mostpower? Who hasthe least?
- Who makesdecisionsabouthowthingsare run?
- How am I involved?
- How do I participate?
- Howcan Iparticipateinwaysthatcontribute more to
socialjustice?
L
et'ssayourstudentsare looking
closelyata...
Novel
Building
Historical event
Systemof government
News article
YouTubevideo
Lecture on climate change
Housing developmentsystem
Classroom design
School calendar
Row oftheatre chairsorstadium seats
Critical SensitivitytoDesign Questions

13. A system is acollection
of parts that interact
with or
influence each other in
some way(s), to some end(s).

14. Power muscle
Sensitivity to design muscle
Systems muscle

16. People, Systems, Power, Participation
1. Notice • Name everything you see and note the
context.
2. People • Who is involved and whose
perspectives are being represented? Whose
perspectives are not being represented?
3. Systems • Name the systems that are involved
and note any connections you see between the
people and the systems.
4. Power • What systems have power? • What
people have power? • What kinds of power do you
see?
5. Participation • How do you participate in any
social issues that have surfaced? How do you
participate in any systems you have
noted/discussed? • What power(s) do you have to
influence or change the systems? • How might you
participate differently within the systems?

18. 3pedagogicalprinciples
Design is not neutral
Power is multidimensional
Participation is constructed

19. Critical Mending

20. Credit: Jaime
Chao Mignano

21. Titus Kaphar, Behind
the Myth of
Benevolence

22. Truth and Historical Amendment* by Jaime Chao Mignano
*Inspired by the artwork of Titus Kaphar

27. Design participation in ways that challenge the status quo and amplify the voices of young people.

28. • JxD is about designing curriculum that empowers students. When young people
are supported to recognise inequities in everyday design we are helping them to
reimagine a more just world. A series of routines has been developed:
• Parts, Purposes, Complexities (for looking closely)
• Parts, People, Interactions (for exploring complexity)
• Voice and Choice (for developing a sensitivity to what and who is not
represented)
• People, Systems, Power, Participation (for looking critically at content and
developing a sensitivity to the roles of power and participation)

29. How might you explore
justice/injustice, power,
representation, and
identity in your practice?

31. We Call Them
Pirates Out
Here, Daniel
Boyd, 2006

32. Invasion III,
Gordon Syron,
1999

33. Shaun Tan, ‘They Came by
Water’, an illustration from
The Rabbits, 1997

34. Hope Beyond the
Window, Jacqui
Stewart, 2011

35. Taken Away, Sally
Morgan, 1987

37. Credit: Sheya
Hacking systems
with a social
justice lens