This research interest involves a series of academic articles and papers focused on the relationship between contemporary aesthetic theory and design, with a particular emphasis on the work of Sianne Ngai, Steven Connor and Peter Sloterdijk. Following the work of these thinkers, this research examines how philosophy and theory can be used to illuminate and enrichen the phenomenon that is typically described using the relatively uninspiring name of consumer culture. This includes the massive proliferation and diversification of leisure-oriented experiences associated with music, food, travel and exercise, and the role design has played in augmenting and attempting to artificially reproduce some of the more subtle elements of sensory experience in commercial items.
Relevant articles
Journal of Aesthetics and Culture
Contemporary perspectives in aesthetic theory: Steven Connor, Sianne Ngai and the edible world
Design and Culture
Too Much Fun: Contemporary Aesthetic Theory and Design
The Conversation
Sassy, zany and easy-going: the abundance of fun in digital help
