AfroFuturism and UX Research

Key Insights

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  Afrofuturism functions beyond aesthetics as a research framework that centers Black experiences to combat white supremacy throughout the design process.

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  Research as praxis involves embedding methods in specific cultural and political contexts, emphasizing accountability in design outputs.

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  Black cultural practices like masquerades and storytelling can be reframed as effective design research techniques with community impact.

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  Afrofuturism problematizes modern notions of objectivity and discipline by breaking down colonial borders, whether disciplinary or national.

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  Design-based implementation research aligns closely with African epistemologies, making methods accessible and participatory.

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  Involving young Black people in policy design using Afrofuturist storytelling and comics creates inclusive spaces to surface diverse racial experiences.

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  Facilitation techniques inspired by call-and-response foster communal contact and mutual respect, essential when dealing with complex racialized experiences.

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  Centering race as a core dimension of research questions opens up more honest investigation and inclusion of marginalized voices.

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  Specificity of cultural lineage and positionality improves openness and cross-diasporic dialogue in research contexts.

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  Afrofuturistic methods help dismantle the artificial divisions between research and participants through collaborative, creative practices.

Notable Quotes