Dr. Yaw Ofosu-Asare
Details
-
Department: School of Design
-
Campus: City Campus Australia
-
yaw.ofosu-asare@rmit.edu.au
-
ORCID:
0000-0002-4494-7912
About
I am a Ghanaian designer, educator, and researcher based in Australia whose work bridges decolonial design, critical pedagogy, and African futures. I am the author of Decolonising Design in Africa: Towards New Theories, Methods, and Practices (Routledge, 2024) and African Design Futures: Decolonising Minds, Education, Spaces, and Practices (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024). With a PhD in Education, my research explores the intersections of Indigenous knowledge systems, storytelling, and visual communication as tools for liberation and transformation.
I am a Lecturer in Communication Design at RMIT University, where I guide students in connecting theory and practice through industry-partnered studios and critical approaches to design pedagogy. Alongside my teaching, I have designed for grassroots organisations, educational institutions, and global social change movements, blending community-based design with speculative thinking. I also contribute to projects on climate justice, disability inclusion, and cultural sustainability. My work is rooted in a deep commitment to equity, memory, and creative reimagination.
Teaching interests
I teach across communication design, design theory, and visual storytelling, with an emphasis on decolonial and inclusive pedagogies. I create learning experiences that encourage critical thinking, cultural awareness, and community engagement, integrating digital and studio-based approaches to support student-led inquiry and design for social change.
Research interests
My research focuses on decolonial design, African philosophy, Indigenous knowledge systems, and critical pedagogy. I explore how storytelling, visual communication, and community-based design practices can reshape educational and design futures across African and global contexts. My work integrates participatory, arts-based, and speculative methodologies to engage with questions of cultural memory, equity, disability justice, and climate resilience.
