Retracing Workshop 2

 

Institutional ethics often rely on rigid checklists, but real-world ethics demand nuance. In the Reworlding project, we believe in co-creating frameworks with participants to balance universal principles and lived contexts. Yet, this work cannot ignore power dynamics. 

In a recent workshop led by Chiara Bassetti and Tom Holmgaard Børsen, 12 PhD scholars (including 8 from the Reworlding program) dove into the ethical complexities of participatory research and design. Here’s what we uncovered:

 

Ethics isn’t just human-centric. To engage more-than-humans, we leverage non-Western frameworks, sensors, legal rights for nature, and learn from indicator species. But innovation must also respect realities: organizations participating in research endeavours are stretched thin. The approach? Integrate research into their daily workflows to foster change without overwhelm.

 

Choosing ethical stances is also political. Participatory research must champion democratic goals: inclusion, care, and all the different voices. 

By bridging communities, technology, and disciplines, we craft innovation that works with people — not for them. From amplifying marginalized voices to honoring ecosystems, this is how we build technology that serves all.