‘Practices of Use, Experiments in Sociality’ by Dr Giovanni Marmont

The ‘Critical Change’ Talk Series

Giovanni Marmont is an independent researcher based in Edinburgh and tutor on the MA Design for Change programme in the School of Design at the University of Edinburgh, whose work explores the socio-cultural and political significance of practices of use, considering how these can underpin new modes of collectivity. In this talk Giovanni will propose some reflections on his recent, current, and upcoming work on the theme of use, trying to identify ways in which radically rethinking this domain could inspire new approaches to, and priorities for, design practice. Indeed, the talk will try to make a case for understanding use as having primacy, both theoretical and pragmatic, over other key design issues such as functionality, agency, and—ultimately—even subjectivity.