Prefigurative design as an alternative approach to civic engagement

Abstract

This submission describes my participatory action research with activist and advocacy organizations in Atlanta. This works shows patterns across these groups’ technological and organizational practices and reveals assumptions on digital tools and civic participation. Activist practices point to alternate sociopolitical values through which we might broaden understandings of digitally mediated civic engagement. Drawing from ethnographic fieldwork and anarchist organizing literature, I suggest prefigurative design as a means to better leverage design in solidarity with radical community work. Prefigurative design is a prompt to re-evaluate our professional practices and resources to better support progressive political efforts.