Winter 2025
Afrofuturist Feminism: Using practices of Afrofuturism and Black feminism to develop new technological approaches
Instructors:
Led by Dr. Brooke Bosley in collaboration with HCDE Professor Daniela Rosner
Nothing has to look or function the way it does. The West man’s freedom, unscientifically got at the expense of the rest of the world’s people, has allowed him to xpand his mind–spread his sensibility wherever it cdgo, & so shaped the world, & its powerful artifact-engines.
Technology & Ethos, Vol. 2 Book of Life by Imamu Amiri Baraka
Amiri Baraka's Technology & Ethos argues for a new technology not shaped by the West or power but humanistic and grounded in consciousness and spirituality. Looking at Baraka's work and BIPOC Human Computer Interaction (HCI) practitioners like Winchester III, Harrington, Bray, Sherman, Klassen, and others, this research group will seek to answer the following questions:
- What forms of theoretical work on Afrofuturism and Black Feminism currently exist in HCI and design?
- How does one build more humanistic technology and/or technology grounded in critical humanistic modes of inquiry?
- How can we engage Afrofuturist and Black Feminist theories as we build new technology?
Students will spend the first half of the quarter reading across areas of Afrofuturism and Black Feminism HCI to understand how those critical humanistic approaches inform technology building. Also, to understand Afrofuturist HCI, students will read a few pieces of literature from Afrofuturist writers such as N.K. Jemisin, Rivers Solomon, and Octavia E. Butler to examine how Black speculative writing is leveraged in HCI theory.
The second half of the quarter will focus on engaging these principles to building new technologies (i.e. healthcare, artificial intelligence, social media service, education, public safety, etc.). Students will consider the challenges of applying these theoretical approaches and how these theories shape new technology. Work from this directed research group will inform a research paper where students will contribute and be listed as co-authors.
Enrollment information
- Meeting time: Tentatively planned for the following days/time, but would like students input on availability.
- Wednesdays, 1 - 3 p.m.
- Wednesdays, 2 - 4 p.m.
- Fridays, 1 - 3 p.m.
- Credits: Students will receive 2 credits for successful completion of the DRG which will be determined by active participation in course discussion and completion of the project.
- Who should apply: Ideal students will have completed basic coursework in HCDE, working on masters or PhD, qualitative analysis experience/aptitude, interest in Afrofuturism,Speculative design, and Black Feminism, and interaction design/making.
- This DRG counts toward the directed research requirement for PhD students.
- To apply: Complete this Google Form by December 1, 2024.
- Anticipated notification date: December 9, 2024
- Questions? Students should contact Dr. Brooke Bosley (fvbosley@gmail.com) with title ‘DRG Course: Afrofuturist Feminism.’