Ethics, Power, and Tensions: Rethinking Participation-Based Design for Sensitive Contexts

In line with the ‘Computing (X) Crisis’ theme, this workshop addresses a vital aspect of designing computing technology in challenging circumstances. Specifically, it explores the complexities of participatory and engagement-driven approaches (PEDAs) in sensitive and marginalized contexts. Although PEDAs emerged from workplace democracy and structured labor environments, their application in crisis-affected and vulnerable communities raises ethical and methodological tensions. Researchers navigating these complexities must critically examine power imbalances, extractive participation, and agency in design. In this workshop, participants will collaboratively create tangible outputs by making zines while reflecting on their experiences, sharing challenges, and developing strategies for ethical participation. The workshop fosters a supportive space for mutual learning, centering care, inclusion, and researcher well-being in participation-based research.