Abstract:
This paper explores the current potential of design to respond to humanitarian crises and the potential of design academia to contribute to such design responses. Over recent decades there have been a number of design actors drawn into the moral imperative of humanitarian responses. From the work of these designers a humanitarian-oriented design ethic is emerging. This new 'ethic' has started to materialise through the practices of a handful of design-focused not-for-profit non-governmental organisations. These few few established design 'avant-garde' have already demonstrated that there is much potential for design work in areas outside the comfort of stablished marketplaces, but how to get there remains a challenge for many interested parties. The content of this paper has been drawn from research being undertaken for a doctoral design project on the role of design in humanitarian responses in the School of Design, University of Technology Sydney.
