Design and Social Responsibility – Thematic Day about the Spirit of Inclusivity

Design is not only about form and function, but also about social responsibility. Across the many fields of design culture, more and more people are seeking tools, methods, and approaches that can help improve the quality of life for disadvantaged groups – whether underprivileged, vulnerable, or marginalised on the basis of religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or health.  
MOME’s thematic day explores how design can contribute to building a fairer, more inclusive society, and how design thinking can create opportunities for disadvantaged communities. 

The one day conference, organized by Janka Csernák, Kinga German and István Povedák, showcases projects, initiatives, and best practices that harness the power of design to advance social inclusion – whether by improving everyday situations, increasing the visibility of underrepresented groups, or encouraging participation. 

The conference focuses on exploring new perspectives on care, cooperation, and transformation within cultural and design institutions. It brings together thinkers and practitioners who challenge conventional frameworks and propose alternative approaches to how museums, design, and research can engage with communities, infrastructures, and environments.

Elke Krasny’s talk redefines the traditional notion of museum care. Rather than limiting care to the preservation of objects, she proposes an expanded understanding that includes atmospheres, bodies, environments, minds, and infrastructures. Drawing on a feminist ethics of care, Krasny examines how museums can move beyond institutional critique toward infrastructural transformation. Through historical and contemporary examples, she shows how museum professionals are reshaping curatorial and institutional practices, turning museums into spaces of activism, collective learning, and transformative encounters.

Tom Bieling’s keynote explores the ambiguities of cooperation and community within design research. He discusses how belonging and collective engagement emerge through design practices—and how these processes are inherently complex, paradoxical, and sometimes conflicting. Bieling (HfG Offenbach) also reflects on the methodological challenges of inter- and transdisciplinary research, illustrating his arguments with insights from his own projects. His talk invites participants to reconsider how design can foster collaboration and shared responsibility while embracing tension and difference as productive forces.

The event fosters dialogue among students, educators, practising designers, and all those curious about how design can evolve into a responsive, supportive force in contemporary society.  

Programme (21 October 2025)

9:00 - 9:15 a.m. Opening
9:15 - 10:00 a.m. Prof. Dr. Elke Krasny “Curating with Care”
10:00 - 11:00 a.m. Prof. Dr. Tom bieling “Practices of Entanglement – Design as Social Paradox”
11:00 - 11:30 a.m. Break
11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Home and Away – Exhibition Opening and Conversation
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Design – Responsibility – Inclusivity – Roundtable Discussion
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Lunch
2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Designing for a Liveable Future – Presentations by young designers
3:30 – 4:00 p.m. Break
4:00 – 4:45 p.m. Slowly Opening Spaces – Fields of Presence – A conversation on the collaboration between MOME and the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta
4:45 – 5:45 p.m. Cloud-Dwellers – Community Spaces in Youth Protection
5:45 – 6:00 p.m. Break
6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Intentions Are No Guarantee – Dilemmas and Diverging Perspectives in Socio-Cultural Projects
7:30 – 9:00 p.m. MOME DOCU – Hold My Hand!

Conference Link: https://mome.hu/en/design-es-tarsadalmi-felelosseg