Design Anthropology in Context
An Introduction to Design Materiality and Collaborative Thinking

This book explores the broad territory of design anthropology, covering key approaches, ways of working and areas of debate and tension. It understands design as fundamentally human centred and argues for a design anthropology based primarily on collaboration and communication. Adam Drazin suggests the most important collaborative knowledges which design anthropology develops are heuristic, emerging as engagements between fieldwork sites and design studios. The chapters draw on material culture literature and include a wide range of examples of different projects and outputs. Highlighting the importance of design as a topic in the study of contemporary culture, this is valuable reading for students and scholars of anthropology and design as well as practitioners.

Introduction Part 1: Why, What and How? 1. Why should anthropology and design engage? 2. What is design culture? 3. What is design materiality? 4. How do design anthropologists work? Part 2: Heuristic Ways of Knowing 5. Contexts 6. Value 7. Futures 8. Archaeologies of the Future 9. Epilogue

Adam Drazin is an associate professor at University College London, where he convenes the Studio of Material Life. His other work explores cultures of home and care, the anthropology of Romania and the new materials revolution.