Juliette MacDonald

Dr. Juliette MacDonald serves as Head of the School of Design at Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh, where she leads academic initiatives in design education and research.

Her scholarly work centers on:

• Evolution of craft practices across historical periods
• Interconnections between craft, creativity, place, and cultural identity
• Material culture studies within contemporary design contexts
• Theoretical frameworks for understanding heritage practices

Dr. MacDonald has established herself as a leader in interdisciplinary research through her co-founding of the NCN research network and her role as Principal-Investigator for the AHRC Network Researching Grant "Naked Craft." Her internationally recognized exhibition "Naked Craft," which toured Canada and Scotland from 2015-2017, explores disciplinary, theoretical, conceptual and methodological approaches to craft across national contexts.

Analysis of her publications reveals a consistent focus on the intersection of traditional craft knowledge with contemporary design theory, particularly examining how craft practices embody cultural identity and historical continuity. Her work bridges academic scholarship with practical applications in the creative industries.

Dr. MacDonald actively contributes to international academic discourse through conference presentations on intangible cultural heritage, including her session "Hunting for Lost Crafts: The Value of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Scotland," demonstrating her commitment to preserving and reinterpreting traditional craft knowledge within modern frameworks.