STORIES FROM FRAGMENTS. WORKSHOP OF THE DESIS PHILOSOPHY TALK - DESIGN FOR SOCIAL INNOVATION AND STORYTELLING

Abstract

The German philosopher Hannah Arendt speaks of storytelling as the act to collect the fragments of the destruction of the mainstream and wave them together in a narration. Arendt believes this act of telling stories is the real political action of opening up the common realm. This workshop aims at exploring the role for storytelling, as described by Arendt, in design for social innovation. Grassroots social innovation are examples of alternatives to the mainstream which are emerging in our society. They require new forms of narratives in order to be fully understood and amplified. Participants in this workshop are triggered to weave together tangible fragments, alternative to the mainstream of our consumeristic society, and create new narrations that imbed their political and poetical value, and opening up new possibilities for societal change. Together we will reflect on the implications of storytelling and story-listening in our daily design practice.