Balancing Social, Professional, and Artistic Views

What does it mean to be a designer in today's corporate-driven, overbranded global consumer culture? 

Citizen Designer attempts to answer this question with more than seventy debate-stirring essays and interviews espousing viewpoints ranging from the cultural and the political to the professional and the social.

This new edition contains a collection of definitions and brief case studies on topics that today's citizen designers must consider, including new essays on social innovation, individual advocacy, group strategies, and living as an ethical designer.

Edited by two prominent advocates of socially responsible design (Steven Heller and Veronique Vienne), this innovative reference responds to the tough questions today's designers continue to ask themselves, such as:

Readers will find dozens of captivating insights and opinions on such important issues as reality branding, game design and school violence, advertising and exploitation, design as an environmental driving force, and much more.

This candid guide encourages designers to carefully research their clients; become alert about corporate, political, and social developments; and design responsible products. 

Citizen Designer, Second Edition, includes insights on such contemporary topics as advertising of harmful products, branding to minors, and violence and game design. Readers are presented with an enticing mix of opinions in an appealing format that juxtaposes essays, interviews, and countless illustrations of “design citizenship.”

Designed by Kevin Brainard and Cybele Grandjean (Area of Practice)

Published by Allworth Press
Second edition, 2018

Softcover, 312 pages, 6 × 9 inches

ISBN: 978-1-62153-640-6