Victor,
For social consequences of design of products you might find it useful to
look at the technology transfer literature - it is global and goes back
about 50 years. Try google "technology transfer social implications
literature".
Social implications of design of products has been part of certified design
degrees in engineering for at least three decades (as has the requirement
for awareness of ethical and environmental implications by professional
enginering designers).
The personal social norms debate is also part of the technology transfer
discourse - for some early stuff see for example: Byrne, E.F., and Pitt
J.C., eds. 1989 Technological Transformation. London: Kluwer Academic
Publishers, or Harrison, P. 1987 The Greening of Africa. London: Paladin,
or Pacey, A1983 Culture of Technology. Oxford: Basil Blackwell Ltd.
and even Cross, N., and et al, eds. 1974 Man-Made Futures. London:
Hutchinson & Co (Publishers) Ltd.
Best wishes,
Terry
<snip>
1) the social consequences of products is an under researched topic within
the design research community
2) the work that has been done on this subject thus far is still little
known and has certainly not been collected into bibliographies or data bases
3) there is a need for courses on this topic at all levels of design
education
5) we need to think more about the personal social norms that we as
researchers would use to develop critiques of products. these will not be
the same for everyone but they will and should become articulated positions
in public debates about how we do and might live. The product world in all
its forms should be part of that debate.
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