Devika Sharma
Design Activism: An exploration of repertoires and public participation
Devika's research is centred around design activism, with emphasis on how creativity and innovation facilitate citizen participation in harnessing social change.
Devika holds an MA in Service Design from the University of Arts, London and a BA (Honours) in Design from Lancaster University. Her experience and interests lie in service design, user research, ethnography, human-centred design and visualisation.
PhD research description
The PhD research explores the concept of design activism, with an emphasis on participation, intersectionality, repertoires, and everyday resistance. The key motivation is to understand how citizens deploy design thinking, methods and strategies to facilitate participation in activist advocacy and framing of problems. It investigates the significance of creativity, innovation, and cultural meaning-making in the tactics or actions strategised to bring about social change. The inseparability of design from the political is critically examined through an ethnographic study of social innovation projects that focus on placemaking, social transformation and generative design.
PhD supervisors
Dr Sharon Prendeville, from the Institute for Design Innovation and Dr Aidan McGarry, from the Institute for Diplomacy and International Governance.
Awards, grants or scholarships received
Devika has been awarded a Doctoral Training Partnership studentship by Technē, which is through the Arts and Humanities Resource Council (AHRC).
Interests and activities
Joosep is interested in anything remotely or closely related to computers and using them to create useful tools for the people that use them.