Design Against Racism Creating Work That Transforms Communities
Design Against Racism: Creating Work That Transforms Communities by Omari Souza, published by Princeton Architectural Press in 2025, offers a historical and philosophical exploration of design’s impact on underserved communities. This 256-page book examines the shortcomings of the design field while highlighting its potential to foster positive change. Through a combination of essays and case studies, it addresses how designers can confront the legacies of racism and oppression in their work.
Readers will find a blend of critical essays on design history, illustrated case studies, and practical methods adapted from the restorative justice movement. The book discusses various topics, including the narrative of whiteness, language as a tool for marginalization and resistance, and the role of culture in transforming spaces. It serves as both a critique of design and a practical handbook, providing frameworks for collective improvement and encouraging designers and educators to adopt anti-racist approaches in their practices.
Official synopsis Publisher
A historical and philosophical exploration of the impact of design on underserved communities, examining the field’s shortcomings as well as its potential to create positive change. Through essays that delve into history and practice, and case studies that demonstrate practical strategies, Design Against Racism explores how designers of all disciplines can address, through their work, the legacies of racism and oppression.
Design profoundly influences culture. The heart of this book is its powerful blend of essays on design history, illustrated case studies, and discussions of practical methods to approach design work, adapted from the restorative justice movement. It explores how design as a professional practice and academic discipline directly affects historically excluded communities, offering frameworks and examples that foster collective improvement.
Topics from author Omari Souza, founder of the annual State of Black Design conference, and contributing design professionals include:
- Unveiling the White Gaze: The Narrative of Whiteness and Colonial Nostalgia
- Language as a Tool for Marginalization–and Resistance
- Hip-Hop Architecture: Transforming Spaces through Culture and Innovation
- Afrofuturism as a Design Strategy
- Whose Knowledge Is It? Reclaiming Histories, Narratives, and the Plurality of Knowledge
- Nonhierarchical Engagement with Communities–Anti-Racist Design Community Pop-Up
This is a critique of design and a practical handbook that will teach designers and educators how a restorative justice approach can transform their design practice to counteract and fight racism.
TIMELY AND ESSENTIAL TOPICS: Thought-provoking essays from leaders in design diversity offer an anti-racist approach to design practice based in an understanding of history, a focus on community building, and a commitment to inclusion.
AUTHOR & CONTRIBUTORS: Omari Souza is an Assistant Professor of Communication Design at the University of North Texas and co-host of the highly acclaimed minisode podcast The Design of Business | The Business of Design. Contributors include preeminent design professionals George Fourlas, Shamika Klassen, Kaleena Sales, Zariah Cameron, Lesley-Ann Noel, Cassini Nazir, Yolanda A. Rankin, Soniyah Robinson, and Danielle Lake.
Perfect for:
- Student and professional design practitioners of all disciplines, including graphic designers, product designers, architects, and more
- Course adoption for design programs
- Anyone eager to explore the themes of anti-racism and decolonizing design
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