Published on January 08, 2021

The rise of several divisive leaders within contemporary politics, has once again brought action to the foreground. As a new generation makes their voices heard, they are also grappling to find effective platforms for action through design. The notion of action simultaneously evokes a discussion on what we are acting for and value. This is particularly important to consider at a moment when the authoritative systems—Governments and corporations—appear more divergent to the voices on the ground. At the same time, within an increasingly pluralistic society, what we collectively value is increasingly unclear, which presents a primary challenge on taking action. Bracket [Takes Action] is situated at a critical point in history where the who, what, where, and how of action need to be re-conceptualized to relate to who we are, how we live, and how we communicate today. The role of design and the agency of the designer are at stake in facilitating or stifling action.
Bracket [Takes Action] contains over 28 essays and 15 design projects that are structured into six sub-themes: ReAction, CounterAction, InterAction, FAction, InAction, and RetroAction. The intent of the fourth almanac of Bracket is to unpack the contemporary possibility of action through design. Our contention here is that a democracy in deficit cannot be repaired without a deeper investigation in how actions can be designed, accommodated for, and encouraged. Equally, this is our call to action—it is time for design to take greater accountability for its actions in our contemporary socio-political spheres. Bracket [Takes Action] provokes spatial practice’s potential to incite and respond to action.