From the Margins to the Centre: Defining New Mission and Vision for HCI Research in South Asia

The past two decades have seen an increase in the amount of research in the CHI community from South Asia with a focus on designing for the unique and diverse socio-cultural, political, infrastructural, and geographical background of the region. However, the studies presented to the CHI community primarily focus on working with and unpacking the regional contextual constraints (of the users and the infrastructures), thus taking a developmental stance. In this online workshop, we aim to broaden the perspective of the CHI research and community towards the contributions from the region including and beyond development, by bringing together researchers, designers, and practitioners working or are interested in working within these regions on diverse topics such as universal education, global healthcare, accessibility, sustainability, and more. Through the workshop discussion, group design activity, and brainstorming, we aim to provide a space for symbiotic knowledge sharing, and defining shared visions and missions for HCI activities in South Asia for including and moving beyond the development agenda.