Designing for Earth Democracy transitions : processes to foster an economics of radical interdependence

Kashyap, Kiran

Designing for Earth Democracy transitions : processes to foster an economics of radical interdependence

Kashyap, Kiran

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Publication Type:: Thesis
Issue Date:: 2024

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Kashyap, Kiran
dc.date.accessioned	2025-01-29T02:57:33Z
dc.date.available	2025-01-29T02:57:33Z
dc.date.issued	2024
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/184575
dc.description	University of Technology Sydney. Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building.	en_US.UTF-8
dc.description.abstract	Humans and non-humans alike who make up the Earth Community face challenges of a previously unprecedented level of complexity. This is seen in the interconnected dynamics of the climate crisis, mounting social disparities and mass extinction of wildlife - also known as a polycrisis. Addressing these seemingly intractable social and ecological crises necessitates fundamental shifts in prevailing human systems from anthropocentric to ecocentric. Nascent approaches to design for the emergence of regenerative economics and bioregional governance champion these shifts and can help to develop systems-level transition pathways away from dominant neoliberal capitalist economic models. My doctoral research investigates design practice in this context, and through a critical design ethnography methodology seeks to creatively unpack the specific qualities of processes that are valuable in facilitating systems-level transitions to bioregionally-adapted regenerative economies. The two sites of research that form the basis of this study are Regen Sydney and Coalition of Everyone - both organisations with which I have been intimately involved - allowing for my undertaking of extended participant observation as an insider researcher. The research hypotheses I am testing in these two sites are informed by preceding professional strategic design practice at the Design Innovation Research Centre (DIRC), University of Technology Sydney (UTS). The study seeks to identify the transformational value of design for the emergence of bioregionally-adapted regenerative economics, both within and across the two sites of research. Design, co-design and systemic design manifest in diverse ways across the two sites, augmented by key approaches such as Transition Design, DEAL’s Doughnut Unrolled, mission-oriented innovation and various others. Through this research I study the novel ways in which design practice manifests, including as amalgamations of these methods, as well as in the emerging project portfolios at Regen Sydney and Coalition of Everyone. This inquiry looks to surface the practical value of design in embedding non-human perspectives and relational ontologies into broader systems of economics and governance, including through systems convening, prefigurative practice, multi-stakeholder forums, theories of change, visual sensemaking and other methods, along with details about the challenges faced in these endeavours.	en_US.UTF-8
dc.format	Thesis (PhD)
dc.language.iso	en_US	en_US.UTF-8
dc.relation	https://opus.lib.uts.edu.au/bitstream/10453/184575/1/thesis.pdf
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.rights	The author owns the copyright in this thesis including all reproduction and reuse rights for the work. The work may not be altered without the permission of the copyright owner. Attribution is essential when quoting or paraphrasing from this thesis.,
dc.rights	© 2024 Kiran Kashyap
dc.rights	au.edu.uts.lib/cph
dc.title	Designing for Earth Democracy transitions : processes to foster an economics of radical interdependence	en_US.UTF-8
dc.type	Thesis
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*

Abstract:

Humans and non-humans alike who make up the Earth Community face challenges of a previously unprecedented level of complexity. This is seen in the interconnected dynamics of the climate crisis, mounting social disparities and mass extinction of wildlife - also known as a polycrisis. Addressing these seemingly intractable social and ecological crises necessitates fundamental shifts in prevailing human systems from anthropocentric to ecocentric. Nascent approaches to design for the emergence of regenerative economics and bioregional governance champion these shifts and can help to develop systems-level transition pathways away from dominant neoliberal capitalist economic models. My doctoral research investigates design practice in this context, and through a critical design ethnography methodology seeks to creatively unpack the specific qualities of processes that are valuable in facilitating systems-level transitions to bioregionally-adapted regenerative economies. The two sites of research that form the basis of this study are Regen Sydney and Coalition of Everyone - both organisations with which I have been intimately involved - allowing for my undertaking of extended participant observation as an insider researcher. The research hypotheses I am testing in these two sites are informed by preceding professional strategic design practice at the Design Innovation Research Centre (DIRC), University of Technology Sydney (UTS). The study seeks to identify the transformational value of design for the emergence of bioregionally-adapted regenerative economics, both within and across the two sites of research. Design, co-design and systemic design manifest in diverse ways across the two sites, augmented by key approaches such as Transition Design, DEAL’s Doughnut Unrolled, mission-oriented innovation and various others. Through this research I study the novel ways in which design practice manifests, including as amalgamations of these methods, as well as in the emerging project portfolios at Regen Sydney and Coalition of Everyone. This inquiry looks to surface the practical value of design in embedding non-human perspectives and relational ontologies into broader systems of economics and governance, including through systems convening, prefigurative practice, multi-stakeholder forums, theories of change, visual sensemaking and other methods, along with details about the challenges faced in these endeavours.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/184575