Multispecies Theory: Design for the More-than-Human
DM-GY 9201 C | Special Topics in Integrated Design & Media
NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Integrated Design and Media Program
Fall 2025
7 week course: September 4th to October 16th, 2025
Brooklyn Navy Yard, Building 22, Room 332
Instructors:
Elizabeth Hénaff (ehenaff@nyu.edu)
Karolina Sulich (kms9971@nyu.edu)
Office Hours:
Thursdays, 5pm-6pm (in-person, after class)
Tuesdays, 10am-11am (virtual, Elizabeth’s zoom link)
Mondays, 10am-11am (virtual, Karolina’s zoom link)
Course Materials:
Class Google Drive
Summary
Multispecies theory is the rapidly growing paradigm that sustains that all practices of design, even if aimed for human users or audiences, implicitly impact non-human species: those we can see in our nearby environments, and those invisible or in environments far away. In this course, we will read from theorists who discuss feminist, intersectional, and multispecies approaches and apply those to design practices such as form, function and user experience. We will visit multiple current art exhibits in New York City institutions and learn to appreciate and critique contemporary art trends from a multispecies perspective. The class will take one "lab" field trip to learn how to extract DNA from soil microbiomes. Students will produce a media artifact (i.e. zine, podcast ... ) as a reflection on class topics for their final project.
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