Emotionally Empowered Activism: designing for momentum and resilience in Youth-Led Grassroots
2024 (English)Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master of Fine Arts (Two Years)), 20 credits / 30 HE credits
Student thesis
Abstract [en]
Activism is a deeply emotional endeavor, driven by the collective sentiments of individuals advocating for change. However, the intricate role of emotions in activism often remains convoluted, complicating its understanding and management.
Inspired by these observations, I propose Emotional Reservoir, a digital application tailored to support youth-led grassroots organizations in managing their emotional dynamics. The aim is to explore how emotional awareness and reflection practices can empower groups, by helping them build momentum and cultivate resilience.
The development process involved a human-centered methodology, informed by insights from activists and experts and theoretical research spanning various social studies disciplines. Grounded in a value-based design approach, the project merged personal and activist views to ensure alignment with the needs and aspirations of the target group.
This project represents an explorative approach to activism support, intersecting technology with the deeply human experience of emotional engagement. Beyond the application itself, the documented process and insights contribute to a broader understanding of how interaction design can collaborate with activism to facilitate meaningful social change.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2024. , p. 39
Keywords [en]
Interaction Design, Youth Activism, Emotional Reflexivity
National Category
Other Engineering and Technologies Design
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-226875OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-226875DiVA, id: diva2:1875470
Subject / course
Degree Project, Interaction Design
Educational program
Master's Programme in Interaction Design
Supervisors
Examiners
2024-08-192024-06-222025-02-24Bibliographically approved