Innovating Scientific Publishing of Design Research: Promoting Plurality and Equity

This track aims to investigate the epistemological and ethical framework of scientific publishing in design research, from a pluriversal perspective, that challenges dominant and Western models of knowledge production and dissemination. The track aims to approach some of the current tensions in the design publishing landscape as starting conditions for the discussion. We observe that technoscientific advancements (digital infrastructures, open access platforms, business models) are transforming academic publishing by enabling more transparent, collaborative and accessible models of dissemination. At the same time, the design research community continues to rely on traditional publishing models that are shaped by ethnocentric editorial norms and centralized knowledge structures. These models have led to a standardization of publication formats and standardized evaluation practices. Consequently, the concept of pluralism, intrinsic in design practice, is marginalized in the current publishing ecosystem. These tensions become visible in the evaluation phase, known as peer review, which impacts what is considered valuable in design research. Finally, the surge of generative AI raises critical questions around authorship and accountability, posing the challenge of how to disrupt the existing power imbalances in the publishing ecosystem, that impact on the levels of inclusion and transparency of knowledge dissemination practices.