When Design Becomes Power: Cultural Translation as a Site of Dispute
Design operates within an ecosystem of meanings where every visual, material, and narrative decision contributes to the construction of symbolic power. Research in cognitive sciences and intercultural communication has demonstrated that translating culture involves reorganizing hierarchies, activating mental frameworks, and redefining how communities interpret the world. A study published in PLOS One shows that cultural translation requires contextual sensitivity, communicative intention, and a deep reading of symbolic codes, enabling the effective reconstruction of meaning across sociocultural environments (He & Li, 2025).
Furthermore, contemporary translation theory emphasizes that every translational act is inherently political. Cao (2020) argues that translation functions as a social device that regulates the circulation of values, narratives, and structures of thought across diverse communities; therefore, it does not merely transfer information but reconfigures meaning so it can operate within a new cultural framework (Cao, 2020).
Building on these perspectives, it becomes evident that understanding design as cultural translation profoundly transforms the role of the designer. Rather than producing formal solutions, the designer becomes a mediator between sensibilities, expectations, and value systems that coexist and often collide, within the same social space. This mediation requires interpreting cultural codes with precision and rearticulating them strategically to generate emotional resonance and contextual relevance, turning design into an exercise of critical reading and human sensitivity.
Consequently, understanding how people construct meaning becomes essential for any design practice seeking cultural relevance. Designing involves listening, analyzing, and translating symbolic universes that are not static but dynamic and deeply situated. Every decision from visual narrative to materiality, becomes an intervention capable of reinforcing, questioning, or transforming the symbolic structures that shape social life.
Therefore, cultural translation emerges as a powerful strategy for differentiation in an environment saturated with stimuli and marked by aesthetic homogenization. Brands that approach culture as a living system, rather than a decorative resource, build stronger, more authentic, and emotionally resonant propositions. In contrast, those that instrumentalize culture superficially generate disconnection, symbolic noise, and a loss of credibility, revealing that the absence of cultural depth is not only a conceptual mistake but also a strategic risk.
Ultimately, embracing design as cultural translation requires acknowledging the intellectual and ethical responsibility embedded in every creative practice. Translating culture is not about replicating codes but understanding, questioning, and transforming them to elevate aesthetic and social discourse. In a historical moment where symbolic trivialization has become commonplace, committing to rigorous and conscious cultural translation represents an act of creative resistance and a contribution to collective intelligence. This critical stance not only strengthens design practice but also redefines its purpose: to cultivate a cultural ecosystem that is more complex, more sensitive, and above all, more human.
