Attempting to Resist Ontological Occupation When Designing for Scale in Healthcare

Abstract

Scholars have recently called out how design is complicit in ontological occupation, where one reality makes other realities non-existent. The perpetuation of ontological occupation is a particular risk when designing for scale in healthcare, as Western healthcare is a recognized carrier of modern universalist practices that threaten local ways of caring. In this research, we draw from science and technology studies and anthropology to inform a research through design study positioned within a collective effort to scaleup decentralized care models in Norway. We analyse five attempts at resisting ontological occupation through design and, by doing so, contribute with lessons for design practice on the practical implications of ontological politics.