Taught By: Eduardo Staszowski

This online course, co-taught by Eduardo Staszowski (The New School) and Virginia Tassinari (TU Delft), will be simultaneously offered to graduate students from both institutions. We welcome participants from diverse fields, including fine arts, design, creative writing, performance, public policy, and the social sciences. It is particularly useful—but not exclusively—for students who want to expand their existing practice or are working on their final thesis, offering a space to engage deeply with both the theoretical and practical dimensions of their work. Amid growing global challenges and instability, what does it mean to explore a critical praxis? How can we shape new transdisciplinary models that consider not only what is but also what could be—not as a division between theory and practice, but as a dynamic and relational space where they converge? This course addresses these questions, seeking to bridge disciplinary divides and open new possibilities for thinking and acting in a complex world. We envision this course as an evolving dialogue between students, faculty, and guests. Rather than following a traditional lecture-based format, it is structured around collaborative inquiry, including a series of readings, discussions, and experiments. We will engage with key issues from contemporary philosophy, sociology, and anthropology, focusing on where these discourses intersect with artistic and design practices. Our aim is to provide a space where students critically engage with theory while doing experimental, creative work. Students will be encouraged to explore the relationship between thought and action—examining how concepts might be activated to address the pressing challenges of our time. The course follows two primary modes of learning: • Engagement with theoretical perspectives: We will discuss and analyze critical texts, exploring their relevance and potential for rethinking current crises. • Curation and creation of artifacts: Students will translate theoretical concepts into concrete forms, such as performances, films, media productions, texts, and other creative outputs. This course also counts toward the Graduate Minor in Civic Service Design and the Graduate Minor in Creative Community Development.