51-448 Design Fusion: Design Anthropology

5 units, Carnegie Mellon University

This course explores design anthropology as a cultural, social, and political practice situated at the intersection of understanding and intervention. In moments of increasing complexity, it introduces anthropological approaches for examining how design participates in culture and produces meaning, while also using design methods to better understand how people live and relate. Through work navigating both theory and practice, students move from close attention to everyday objects, to broader systems and social forces, and finally to reflection on their own design assumptions and practices. Emphasizing design as a practice of sense-making, the course encourages students to engage design with greater empathy, care, and responsibility.

Prerequisites: none listed

Offered: Fall 2026

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