iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 18/10/2025

My second ever book, ‘Design After Modernism: Beyond The Object’ was published by @thamesandhudson.bsky.social in (checks the carbon dating) 1988. Imagine my (happy) surprise when, last month, Zaoli Gu gave me this Chinese edition which I never knew about before. www.abebooks.com/978050027510...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

Interested in high-altitude social innovation? Check out these one month research residencies in Arvier, Italy. Deadline 19 October www.fondazionesantagata.it/en/arvier-in...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 13/10/2025

This remarkable group convened in Mumbai at #BITSDesignSchool to discuss #CareValuePlace from diverse perspectives. I'll post highlights of their contributions soon - but, for now, here's how I set the scene in my introduction thackara.com

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

I was given the Frontier Design Prize by the Mayor of Shanghai www.jfdaily.com/staticsg/res... @royalcollegeofart.bsky.social

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

On 27 September, book launch in Amsterdam of 'Water Works: Ecosocial Design'. . 5jwwe.r.a.d.sendibm1.com/mk/mr/sh/1t6...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

In south west England, this first-of-its-kind Bioregional Banquet features La Rasgioni ~ an ancient Sardinian tradition of reconciliation. Kingsbridge, 3 October. mailchi.mp/5fd97808bab9...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 02/09/2025

💧New release: Water Works, Ecosocial Design In 60+ essays (one by me) and case studies, Water Works explores how we might reimagine ecosocial relationships between people, organisms, and the systems that sustain (or threaten) them. valiz.nl/en/publicati...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 23/08/2025

Is an AI crash imminent? Well, Doors of Perception chronicled the dawn of the internet; spent years asking, "but what is it for?"; and then, when nobody answered with much conviction, was not surprised by the dotcom crash. So today's AI-angst does indeed feel a bit deja vu.

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 21/07/2025

and here are some of the projects people bring to Meetups to work on ...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 21/07/2025

Intrigued by the notion of designing for life as a practice, many come to our MeetUps to unlock obstacles on a project, thesis, course, or book. They use the week here to move it forward. France, 28 August to 4 September thackara.com/meetinfrance/

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

This smart and enticing catalogue just arrived from @hslu_masterdesign in Lucerne. It poses a question ("Homo Ludens In Crisis") and suggests an answer (Eco-Social Design) before you even open it. (Decl: some these guys are friends of mine and my own name appears on page 41 - and so?)

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

This is such a hard choice! Either: a) read endless papers and attend research conferences on degrowth; or b) download this excellent and free guide to maintenance, repair and care as a practice. themaintainers.org/study-guide/

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

PART 1: Why agroecology matters PART 2: Agroecology is also urban PART 3: What agroecology needs from us PART 4: Potential of AgTech and AI PART 5: Shanghai Urban Ecologies Lab resilience.org/stories/2025...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

‘That’s what I want. For a child to hold their breath for a second. To feel something stir.’ This is a moving interview with Zaro Weil, whose new book of poetry for children, "I Hear The Trees", has just been published. booksforkeeps.co.uk/article/the-...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 15/06/2025

Wild - in a good way - that these extraordinary posters on indigenous futurisms by Dr Ambelin Kwaymullina were commissioned by (and shown at) a School of Cybernetics @ourANU. They're a must-read. cybernetics.anu.edu.au/projects/Ind...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

Zero-Carbon Waterfronts? For me, revitalizing waterfronts needs to happen at watershed scale. Tuesday, 10 June 13:00–16:40  Venue: One Whitehall Place, London. research.tudelft.nl/en/publicati...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 06/06/2025

"In textiles, we're looking for a sweet spot that reduces the time and cost involved in making by hand but remains a creative, adaptable, less harmful process". Zoe Gilbertson draws parallels between bread and linen liflad.substack.com/p/commoning-... (Pic Flax to linen jeans Brigitte Kaltenbacher)

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

in Marseille, @Fab_Peda is massively expanding walking as learning, and wants cities to be cared for as outdoor classrooms in schools, middle schools, high schools, and universities

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 02/06/2025

"New myths, still to be created, will be “the engine of intelligence” as Paul Valéry put it, "myths that will help us distance ourselves from the world of yesterday that still invades our minds” (in French) www.dictionnaire-du-developpement-durable.fr/lectures/not...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

In 1957, the Situationists complained that "All that was once lived, has become mere representation". In 2003, I responded, in this talk, with "The thermodynamics of cooperation". Please share with AI-bros. thackara.com/commoning/th... (Pic: Henning Struchtrup)

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 14/05/2025

If you come to one of our meetups later this summer you can judge for yourself who has the best local eggs. Oh, and also make progress on your project, thesis, course, or book. Spots still open for 8 July 08, 13 August, 28 August thackara.com/meetinfrance...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

"Inequalities, 24th Triennale Milano International Exhibition" Shown here: China Pavilion, curated by Yongqi Lou www.salonemilano.it/en/articles/...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

Blimey: "$10million prize to research groups for major breakthroughs in interspecies communication" The Coller Dolittle challenge is inspired by the Turing test. Meet the finalists, including wild dolphin whistles, online, 15 May. coller-dolittle-24.sites.tau.ac.il

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

System-wide support for VELI (Light Intermediate Vehicles) announced here in Occitanie, in Southern France. The plan is to replace daily trips currently provided by cars or utility vehicles with "lighter and more sober solutions". www.linkedin.com/posts/c%C3%A...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 27/04/2025

Are you working - but stuck - on a live project, thesis, course, or book? Are you ready transform your professional situation, and only do good work? We don't promise easy answers, but a time-out here is great for figuring out what your next steps might be. lnkd.in/d9xQgtkP

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

Chris Smaje explains what people ought to do, concerning energy, with his customary precision. We know by now that they (we) won't - a fact that (for me) is a main driver of today's polycrisis.

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 22/04/2025

drive.google.com/file/d/1cKvS...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

An intelligent take on tariffs www.localfutures.org/trumps-tarif...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 05/04/2025

curiously missing from this text: "today's global economy is unimaginably energy- and debt-intensive..." (also in today's @FT)

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 05/04/2025

Is it imaginable? A world without these things?

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 04/04/2025

Our meetups are for designers of all kinds, ecologists, curators, team leaders, managers, professors, researchers, artists, and writers. thackara.com/newsletter/n...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

I believe these these clever nerds have called "Peak AI"

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

Do donuts and bioregions help each other? In western North Carolina, USA, the Swannanoa Watershed Action Network (SWAN) seems to think so doughnuteconomics.org/stories/brin...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

In Tornai, Belgium, agro-ecological farming - and nature reconnection - at scale www.linkedin.com/company/doma...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

Obesity rates soaring globally is a 'monumental social failure', says Gates-funded blame-the-victims study. How silly am I? I thought it was Big Food wot done it www.reuters.com/business/hea...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

"A short history of bioregional cartography" (in French). PIC: "Nous sommes Orne!" by Collectif Hydromondes topophile.net/savoir/petit...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

"We Are Avon" – a bioregional food and water sovereignty movement launches in England www.avivacommunityfund.co.uk/p/we-are-avon

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

"Everybody compost". More than 2,000 events throughout France to mobilize citizens, communities, elected officials, businesses, schools and associations around biowaste management. tousaucompost.fr

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

Dates for Thackara Meetups In France (2025) and six other stories in my latest newsletter thackara.com/newsletter/new

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

"how designers can incorporate Indigenous ways of being, knowing, and doing in their creative practices" www.routledge.com/Decolonising...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

"reimagine the actions and tools needed to protect the human and more-than-human worlds" in this More-Than-Human Rights (MOTH) course 20-25 July in London mothrights.org/program/2025...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

Have you seen 'The Brutalist'? If so, you might enjoy "Re-wilding the Bauhaus: what its foundation course should be like today" thackara.com/natureconnec...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

Important: "how caring relationships based on independent living can be financially supported rather than expanding a care industry based on profits, forced dependence, low standards, low pay and exploitation" www.ourrighttocare.net

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 12/03/2025

We don’t live alone in the world, but it’s organized in ways that push us apart. The pages of Think Like a Commoner are filled with meaningful acts of care being practiced, today, by grassroots communities across the world. thinklikeacommoner.com

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 09/03/2025

How to organise an Earth Uprising. (Click on Herunterladen to download the pdf) klimax.online/structure-an... via @illwilleditions

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

but I would also commend this documentary to Howard and @sarahtaber.bluesky.social which traces the origins of Big Ag to the 15C European low countries (it's in French) www.arte.tv/fr/videos/10...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

If we were to decide that the purpose of AI is to help all of life thrive – not just human life – what practical consequences should follow from that? Here, I explores that question as if we were planning to intervene in five social-ecological systems: thackara.com/natureconnec...

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John Thackara @johnthackara.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

This talk, Landscapes of Care, is my introduction to the @glasgowschoolofart.bsky.social Winter School 2025. Examples from India, China, and Scotland explore how design can enhance relationships between human beings, places, and living systems. www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG5g...

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