Mediating Human–Nature Relations through Technology: A Scoping Review of Post-Anthropocentric Artifacts and Their Design Strategies

Abstract

The threatening environmental problems of our time challenge the notion that humans are separate from and dominant over nature. As a result, many studies in Human–Computer Interaction (HCI) address alternatives to human-centered design and explore post-anthropocentric approaches that decenter humans and consider nature in technology design. The question, however, is how to design post-anthropocentric technology that engages humans and nature. Based on the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we conducted a scoping review and analyzed 53 papers, from which we extracted 114 post-anthropocentric artifacts that enable human–nature engagement. We identified seven design strategies, such as recognizing, exploring, and empowering that can guide the future design of post-anthropocentric artifacts. Most of the artifacts included support human agency, fewer support nature’s agency, or advocate for nature to achieve an equitable human–nature relation. We identified opportunities for the field, such as empowering nature and further exploring the implications of post-anthropocentric design for addressing environmental problems.

Topics & Concepts