Professors Terresa Moses and Lisa Mercer's recent book Racism Untaught (MIT Press) is a guidebook that shows organizations how to recognize racism in designed artifacts, systems, and experiences—and how to replace them with anti-racist design solution.
A book launch will be held on at 6 PM on October 5th at Open Book in Minneapolis. More event information here.
A brief summary: Racism Untaught provides anti-racist design interventions in academic, business, and community settings adapted from their successful workshop series of the same name and filled with concrete examples, resources, and ample case studies. Mercer and Moses teach participants how to analyze design—and reimagine racialized artifacts, systems, and experiences guided by anti-racist/anti-oppressive principles. Through their work, Mercer and Moses demonstrate how to examine one’s positionality within the context of racism and oppression; help participants understand how design can reinforce and perpetuate oppression; and reveal the unique relationship among equity, ethics, and responsibility that constitutes the core value of an anti-racist design discipline. In Racism Untaught, Mercer and Moses provide the framework we need to unlearn racialized design practices and move more generatively toward collective liberation.
Professor Moses is an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design and the Director of Design Justice at the University of Minnesota's College of Design.
Professor Mercer is an Associate Professor of Graphic Design & Design for Responsible Innovation in the University of Illinois College of Fine and Applied Arts.
