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Berkeley Talks: Bess Williamson on the history of disability and design

By Public Affairs

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a photo split into two: one of a woman standing and smiling; the other of a book cover that reads "Accessible America"

Bess Williamson, associate professor of art history theory and criticism at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, is the author of Accessible America: A History of Disability and Design . (Photo courtesy of Bess Williamson)

In this episode of Berkeley Talks , Bess Williamson, associate professor of art history theory and criticism at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and author of Accessible America , explores the history of design and its response to disability rights, from the end of World War II to the present day.

This talk was part of the Design Conversations series at the Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation at UC Berkeley. This semester, the institute continues its theme, For Whom? By Whom? Designs for Belonging, with talks that focus on accessibility, inclusion and justice related to design and technology.

Watch a video of Williamson’s presentation and read a follow-up Q&A with Williamson on the Jacobs Institute website.


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