The course DTX 495: The Designer’s Guide to Resisting Oppression ran during eight weeks of the semester, bringing together University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and University of Johannesburg students and faculty. Co-instructed by Moton, Miriam Salah (SCD), and Sarah Delius (UJ), the course examined modern-day slavery, human trafficking, and other forms of systemic oppression in the United States and South Africa. Despite the eight-hour time zone difference, students collaborated through five Zoom sessions and ongoing discussions on Discord, using human-centered design methods to analyze and address these pressing issues.

“I tell people that our society, interestingly enough, is teetering on ‘all that stuff is in the past’ mentality. History is alive and well. As a society and world, we’re still being plagued by big issues like slavery," said Moton. "As a historian, I helped students study how we learn from the past to be able to move forward in a design space to create help, hope, and eventually have some kind of reprieve from oppression.”

By the end of the course, students had gained insights into both historical and contemporary forms of oppression while applying key design methodologies like systems thinking, backcasting, empathy mapping, stakeholder analysis, and How Might We (HMW) questions. Their final challenge: create a prototype that addresses a form of modern oppression in their respective country.

Prototyping Solutions to Oppression

Students divided into three groups, each focused on different real-world examples of oppression.

Advocating for Migrant Workers

Illinois students focused on improving the lives of migrant workers in the U.S. Their storyboard prototype proposed innovative ways to raise awareness and promote fair labor conditions, including:

• Secret cameras for migrant laborers to document and share their experiences.
• Stamps on products featuring a catchy slogan to highlight labor conditions.
• A reality show where celebrities experience life as a migrant worker to shed light on harsh working conditions.
• An award ceremony recognizing companies that provide safe and ethical workplaces for migrant laborers.

Using Technology to Combat Human Trafficking

University of Johannesburg students explored the role of digital technology in preventing human trafficking. Their prototype, Geotrak, proposed a geolocation tool to help estimate the real-time location of trafficking victims and provide law enforcement with critical data. The app would also include emergency contact information, trafficking warning signs, and resources for victims. The team emphasized the need for collaboration between law enforcement, policymakers, and tech companies to enhance anti-trafficking efforts.

Addressing Trafficking Within Religious Institutions

Another University of Johannesburg student team investigated how certain churches in South Africa have been linked to human trafficking, particularly cases of pastors exploiting vulnerable individuals. Their prototype, Find A Church, was designed as a digital platform to help South Africans identify and connect with safe, non-complicit churches. Features included:

• An “About Us” page explaining the platform’s mission.
• A “Seek Help” page offering resources such as the National Trafficking Hotline, police services, and access to therapists.
• Each listed church would have a dedicated page with a Pastor’s Profile, Location, and an Overview detailing its background and practices.

• A user-generated section where individuals could share information about their churches.

Powerful Outcomes

Teaching the course through the Siebel Center for Design was a fascinating experience, according to Moton.

"First, my co-instructors were amazing and brought extensive understanding from international and design perspectives," said Moton. "And second, it was fantastic to see students designing real-life things that could be applied to actual human problems, thanks to the intersection of history and design."

SCD research assistant Joey Shepherd, Ph.D. student in Education Policy, Organization & Leadership, ran course evaluations for DTX 495. In his course impact report, Shepherd found students reported that they not only deepened their understanding of oppression in their respective countries, but also applied human-centered design as a tool for real-world problem solving through the collaborative course. Feedback and results from the report will inform improvements for the next iteration of the course offering.