Design activism from the past to present: A critical analysis of the discourse

The primary objectives of this study are to explore the different phases of design activism in its forty five years of history, and to examine the ideology and structure that lie behind the discourse. The theoretical framework of this study postulates design activism as a movement within the design community which stems from mainstream social movements opposed to socioeconomic developments of the twentieth century. The method of the study employs Critical Discourse Analysis on design activism discourse, with a focus on industrial design. A sample group of publications is selected and analysed through CDA to reveal the historical progress of design activism discourse and to provide insights into the content, as well as the contexts design activism exists in, and the strategies formulated to achieve the movement's objectives. The results are critically interpreted, and the deficiencies of design activism are discussed in furtherance of design activism movement.