Abstract
This paper critiques the dominant paradigms of humanitarian and design interventions that frame Adivasi communities as passive recipients of external aid. Design interventions aimed at ‘uplifting’ marginalized communities often perpetuate reductive stereotypes rather than fostering genuine empowerment. Drawing on the works of Spivak, Glissant, and bell hooks, the research interrogates the tensions between well-intentioned humanitarian aid and the structural inequalities it inadvertently reinforces. It examines the impact of external design and development projects on Adivasi communities, particularly through the case of Godna tribal tattoo artists in Central India. Centering indigenous epistemologies and advocating for the right to opacity, this study argues for a necessary shift toward a pluriversal approach in design—one that respects indigenous worldviews on their own terms rather than assimilating them into dominant paradigms. Ultimately, the future of Adivasi artistic traditions and cultural sovereignty lies in reclaiming agency over representation and resisting the pressures of forced assimilation into capitalist and neocolonial structures. By deconstructing the center-margin binary and advocating for participatory knowledge production, this study calls for a fundamental rethinking of how marginalized communities are engaged with in design, art, and activism.
Presenters
Nitya SankheStudent, MA Global Arts and Cultures, Rhode Island School of Design, Rhode Island, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Adivasi,Subaltern,Representations,Design,Ethics,Decolonialisation,Participatory
