Aesthetics as Politics. A Theoretical Framework for Disruptive Design Practices.

Today in the West, we are witnessing a shift in the idea of politics. The political paradigm that has dominated Western societies for the past several centuries is breaking apart from within. Grassroots social innovation—together with design practices that work to empower such innovation and disrupt the status quo—can be interpreted as an ensemble of moments of self-criticism, in which new ideas of politics can be fostered. These new practices open up spaces for social interaction, and possibilities for new kinds of collaboration. One result is that today, we are undergoing a transformation in the notion of the “public realm.” Many practices around the world are showing evidence of this shift. In this essay, I aim to indicate a few possible tracks that may inspire further investigations of this issue. I believe there are two authors in particular who can help us in this task, and in establishing an adequate theoretical framework for understanding and fostering new forms of public good: the philosophers Jacques Rancière and Hannah Arendt.