CONSPIRACY FICTION AS A TOOL FOR CRITICAL THINKING. DESIGNING EMBODIED NARRATIVES BASED ON CONSPIRACY THEORIES TO REFLECT ON CONTEMPORARY ISSUES AND COMMUNICATION DESIGN

Conspiracies are a form of narrative, and each piece of information is also, in part, a form of narration. Stories are a fundamental part of culture and our way of perceiving reality. As stated by Harari, humans “are the only species with the ability to use language—not just to describe things we can see, taste, and touch, but also to invent stories about things that don’t exist” (Gallo, 2024). Storytelling permeates every aspect of daily life and is used as a tool to give meaning to products, services and experiences. This phenomenon extends to the news, where the boundaries between facts and storytelling are more blurred than ever. Communication is largely driven by social media platforms, which have fragmented the information landscape. Informing has become a participatory practice: news and opinions are shared widely across many platforms, often leaving people struggling to make sense of events and phenomena. Originally designed for entertainment, social media platforms now host all forms of communication. However, the way these platforms are built favours the content that answers their original purpose. Information has evolved in the form of opinions and storytelling to adapt to the algorithms. In this environment, conspiracy theories thrive. The trust in the sources of information is dramatically low. The news volume and the speed at which they travel make verifying the sources increasingly difficult. In Italy, only a third of news readers report trusting the media, reflecting deep scepticism toward information channels seen as driven by political or commercial interests (Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, 2024). Communication designers need to be trained to operate in such a complex landscape. Our proposal presents the aims and results of a Communication Design Studio at the Bachelor level in Politecnico di Milano. Students were asked to research conspiracy theories and craft a project that would make the effects and consequences of these beliefs tangible and real. The studio consists of shaping a scenario in which the conspiracy theories are found to be true, followed by the design of a fictional brand and an interactive experience revolving around a prototype set within the scenario. The studio aims to develop communication design ecosystems within an anti-disciplinary approach, adopting a speculative design framework. Students are prompted to discuss the role of communication and interaction design in building public trust. The topic of conspiracies is a tool for reasoning about the ethical dimension of storytelling and their responsibility as communication designers. The projects aimed to challenge preconceived opinions and instil self-doubt in the viewer, fostering a critical attitude that encourages deeper engagement with the complexity of issues.