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This book offers a critical re-examination of cultural design, highlighting the distinct cognitive framework for problem-solving that emerges from culturally specific practices, knowledge systems, and evaluative mechanisms. Through the lens of Banarasi toy designers a community on whom linguistic analysis has previously revealed a deeply embedded system of design categorization and experiential practice this book explores how generational tacit knowledge is internalized, transmitted, and applied.
Challenging dominant paradigms that privilege global scalability and technological disruption, the book advocates for a localized approach to innovation that emphasizes cultural acceptability, continuity, and systemic coherence. Cultural design is presented not only as a method for solving problems within culturally bounded contexts but also as a pedagogical strategy for converting implicit expertise into formalized, transferable knowledge.
This volume contributes to the emerging discourse on culturally grounded design methodologies that prioritize cultural acceptability over disruptive change to foster more sustainable, community-aligned innovation ecosystems. This can be a useful resource for scholars, educators, practitioners, policymakers, investors, and market analysts seeking to engage with alternative models of innovation that honor cultural specificity while fostering equitable development.
List of contents
Toying with Perspectives: Listening to the Views of Cultural Designers.- Language and Shape of the Worldview.- Sorting the Banarasi Mind: What Do Linguistic Categories Reveal about.- View of a Khil na: Rules of making and using Cultural Design.- Hand over Mind: Pedagogical Notions of the Others .- Artisanship of Risk: The Uncertainty of Cultural Design.- Thinking Like a Cultural Designer: Juggling Worldview over Livelihood.- Emerging Signifiers of Cultural Design.- Designing Others : Significance of the Hand to Practices of the Mind.
About the author
Dr. Koumudi Patil is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences and also participates in the Department of Design at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, India. Her research expertise lies in the design and creative processes of the creative industry within India's developmental framework. Through her work, she has spearheaded numerous research initiatives aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), collaborating with the Government of India, industry leaders, and grassroots communities to foster impactful change.
Summary
This book offers a critical re-examination of cultural design, highlighting the distinct cognitive framework for problem-solving that emerges from culturally specific practices, knowledge systems, and evaluative mechanisms. Through the lens of Bāṇārasī toy designers—a community on whom linguistic analysis has previously revealed a deeply embedded system of design categorization and experiential practice—this book explores how generational tacit knowledge is internalized, transmitted, and applied.
Challenging dominant paradigms that privilege global scalability and technological disruption, the book advocates for a localized approach to innovation that emphasizes cultural acceptability, continuity, and systemic coherence. Cultural design is presented not only as a method for solving problems within culturally bounded contexts but also as a pedagogical strategy for converting implicit expertise into formalized, transferable knowledge.
This volume contributes to the emerging discourse on culturally grounded design methodologies that prioritize cultural acceptability over disruptive change to foster more sustainable, community-aligned innovation ecosystems. This can be a useful resource for scholars, educators, practitioners, policymakers, investors, and market analysts seeking to engage with alternative models of innovation that honor cultural specificity while fostering equitable development.
