Learning through Critical Analysis: Using Chinese Propaganda Posters in a Design History Survey

As many design history instructors seek to expand the objects, stories, and voices that we include in our courses, this paper will reflect on my own efforts to look outside of a Euro-centric and American-centric design historical canon while also creating opportunities for students to practice their visual analysis skills. I will share an in class activity that I developed using an on-line collection of late 20th century Chinese propaganda posters as a strategy for bringing alternative narratives, voices, aesthetics, and perspectives into a large design historical survey course. I will describe the activity itself and some of its logistical and conceptual challenges, as well as discuss the scaffolding of relevant material and skillsets that I integrated in the earlier part of the semester to set up the activity. I will also reflect on the overall effectiveness of the activity based on students’ responses at the time as well as through their performance on a final exam question that directly related to the material.