About us
We are a community of critical thinkers accelerating ecosocial transitions in the Global South through design and technology.
In an interconnected world, we recognize the imperative for holistic, locally-tailored approaches to address ecosocial challenges.
Through the application and exploration of decolonial design practices and a critical perspective on technology, we immerse ourselves in the interconnected challenges of the Global South, creating new possible worlds.
We provide design services to governments, organizations and local communities focused on driving long-term change.
The problem Pluriversa aims to tackle is the deeply ingrained “Western linear development model”, which exacerbates socioeconomic disparities, cultural disconnections, and environmental degradation.
The unchallenged development model, steeped in colonialism and neoliberal economics, and deeply embedded in both national and international policies, obscures the underlying crises and injustices it perpetuates, leading to significant resource depletion, creating systems that promote uniformity over diversity, and neglecting local and ancestral knowledge crucial for a transition towards pluriversality and sustainability.
To counter this, there’s an urgent need to envision and cultivate “alternatives to development” (postdevelopment), leveraging design as a key tool in steering the Global South towards a new ecosocial paradigm.
Arturo Escobar
Distinguished Professor of Anthropology Emeritus.
Author of Designs for the Pluriverse.
Our agenda
Ecosocial transitions are crucial today as they offer a pathway to mitigate environmental crises while fostering equitable and sustainable societies, recognizing the inextricable link between the planet’s health and its inhabitants’ well-being.
We are committed to the five working areas proposed by Professor Arturo Escobar to accelerate change with a Southern perspective:
1.
Recommunalization of Social Life
We advocate for the revitalization of communal bonds, fostering stronger connections within communities.
2.
Relocalization of Economic Activities
We promote localized productive models and sustainable practices to build resilient and self-sufficient economies.
3.
Strengthening of Autonomies
We work towards enhancing autonomy at various levels, fostering self-sufficiency and resilience in the face of social and environmental challenges.
4.
Depatriarchalization and Deracialization of Societies
Through inclusivity, equality, and social justice, we strive to create environments that honor diversity and reject discriminatory practices.
5.
Reintegration with Mother Earth
Recognizing the interconnectedness of all life, we advocate for a harmonious relationship with Mother Earth and a lasting ecological balance.
Our services
We focus on three dimensions of change:
Challenge
Status Quo
Shifting views to redefine possibilities
It is aimed primarily at public and private entities seeking to deepen the understanding and foresight of the most intricate problems of our era.
Mapping Change Dynamics
– Social cartography, horizon scanning –
Understanding Wicked Problems
– Systems mapping, causal analysis –
Foresight and Future Visions
– Scenarios, world building, unintended consequences, provocations –
Nurture
Niches
Supporting local change ecosystems
We foster the transformative potential of grassroots communities and territorial actors, transforming bold ideas into tangible realities.
Mapping Change Ecosystems
– Pioneers mapping, positive deviance radar –
Piloting Change
– Rapid prototyping, piloting alternatives –
Strengthening Autonomies
– Local practices beyond formal democracy, economic society, and Western modernity –
Enable
Transitions
Building collective action
We are a bridge of worlds, bringing together public and private entities with grassroots communities to co-create and foster collective intelligence.
Pluriversal Contact Spaces
– Multisectorial collective intelligence –
Portfolio for Systemic Intervention
– Leverage points, pathways for transition –
Co-Designing Initiatives and Infrastructures
– Actions, services, products, policies, labs, programs –
Upskilling and Capacity Building
– Training, workshops, toolkits, guides, methodologies –
Our design practice
Participatory
Design
We actively co-create with marginalized communities, activists, and public and private organizations, ensuring that projects resonate deeply with their local contexts, needs, and core aspirations.
Systems
Thinking
We understand the big picture: the elements and their relationships so that we can manage structural change.
Futures
Design
We make sense of the present and project possible futures to reveal new opportunities, mitigate risks and build strategies for success.
Transition
Design
We understand how long-term change develops and how we can be more active in creating the future we hope for.
Our founders
We sum up more than 25 years of experience in innovation projects of high complexity and ambiguity for companies and organizations from different sectors and industries.
While design’s societal impact is immense, its frequent alignment with consumerism troubled us. We are driven to transform design, emphasizing southern viewpoints and addressing systemic disparities. Amidst today’s climate and tech challenges, design’s role in fostering equitable and resilient solutions is more critical than ever.
Co-founder of Pluriversa. Making sense of long-term transitions towards plural futures.
Manuel Llano
Mexico 🇲🇽
Co-founder Pluriversa • Postdevelopment for the Global South • Multidisciplinary Designer • Blockchain advocate • Music junkie
