Barbara Adams

Barbara Adams is an Assistant Professor of Art, Design and Social Justice at Parsons School of Design, The New School. Her interdisciplinary research explores how art and design projects generate knowledge and political action, with a focus on social justice, ethics, and collaborative practices.

She holds a PhD in Sociology from The New School for Social Research (NSSR), supported by a GIDEST fellowship, alongside an MA in Social Sciences (Pedagogical Sciences) from the University of Amsterdam. Her academic trajectory includes coordinating the Anthropology + Design Graduate Minor at NSSR and serving as Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in Design at Wesleyan University.

Research Interests: Adams investigates poetic and creative methods in social research, the ethics of engagement in socially oriented art/design projects, and speculative solidarity frameworks. She co-edits the journal Design and Culture and leads research at the Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability Lab (DESIS Lab).

Publications & Impact: Her work spans topics like pandemic design responses, museum visitor experiences, and public library roles in democracy. Recent outputs include essays on proximity ethics (2023), pandemic improvisation (2021), and UNHCR’s speculative solidarity projects (2021).

• Awards: Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship
• Teaching: Courses include Collab: Writing in Practice and Speculative Storytelling (Fall 2025).
• Lab Affiliations: DESIS Lab (Researcher), Parsons Faculty Hotseat (Office).