Designerly resistance: Professional object design in support of Lebanon’s street protests

Abstract

Design activism theory calls on designers to take responsibility for using their design skills to make real social change though influencing the mindset of their audience. This paper discusses the specific case of architect and designer Guillaume Crédoz who collaborated with the protestors during the 17 October Revolution in Lebanon to help them carry out acts of political disobedience against corruption and government injustice. The history of design lacks examples of professionally designed objects meant to mobilize the public within protest settings, and the examples of Crédoz demonstrate that such objects can be functional, engage the user, express discontent, and support oppositional attitudes in the name of a more just society. At the same time, they can effectively support protestors in their efforts to resist. Designers can play a supportive role in introducing change through functional objects with a disruptive aesthetic.