This lecture explores disability through the lens of (feminist) disability studies and the speaker's lived experience as a South Asian woman. It delves into disability models essential for designers, critiques current design approaches to disability, and examines how design often overlooks disability from a socio-cultural innovation perspective. The talk aims to bridge gaps between disability theory and design practices fostering a more inclusive design practice that truly considers the diverse needs of all individuals.
Shilpa Das is Chair, Education, and leads Interdisciplinary Design Studies across the three campuses of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, India. She brings three decades of experience across education, publishing, and the voluntary sectors. An Editorial Board member of The Design Journal, she has also served as Founding Editor of The Trellis and D/signed. Her work includes editing and authoring notable books like 50 Years of the National Institute of Design: 1961-2011, Narrative Universes of Disability, and Indian Crafts in a Globalizing World. She has been a visiting faculty member at various prestigious institutions worldwide and has received research grants from organizations such as The Wenner-Gren Foundation and the British Council. Her teaching spans Comparative Aesthetics, Narrative Traditions, History of Design, and Disability Studies. She contributes to several advisory boards and has numerous publications to her name, focusing on disability, design, public health, translation studies, and cultural studies.
