Beyond human (self-) care: Exploring fermentation as a practice of caring with humans, non-humans and the planet Earth

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Master thesis project report

Beyond human (self-) care

Exploring fermentation as a practice of caring with humans, non-humans and the planet Earth

Author: Stephanie Föhr

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Abstract

The present thesis deals with the playful exploration of fermentation as a practice of care. Fermentation has a lot of positive impacts and can be seen as a practice of care in relation to human self-care, caring with human others, relationships to non-human beings, like microorganisms, and caring with the planet Earth. Based on the question ‘What can game design do to explore fermentation as a practice beyond human (self-) care?’ I developed an Online Fermentation Game. The game functioned as a conversational framework to explore together with co-creators the possibilities of more careful and sustainability-oriented food practices on the example of fermentation. The game involved the step by step and hands-on fermentation of fruits and vegetables while exploring the complexity of care in relation to fermentation.

With this project, I aimed to offer a co-learning space to explore together with co-learners the possibilities of more careful and sustainable food practices on the example of fermentation in a playful way. To create a dialogue about more than human care in relation to food, in particular fermentation. To inspire the co-learners to question their relationships around food and discover which actors to care with.

Beyond this project and in a larger context, I aim for a paradigm shift from the individualistic human benefit towards a notion of more than human care. This shift can make a huge difference regarding a more sustainability-oriented future of food. With this thesis project, I strived to make a small contribution to this long term vision.

Starting from the human need for healthy food, the blind spot of acknowledging fermentation as a sustainability-oriented practice beyond human care, that the majority of other fermentation workshops is missing, was explored in a playful way.

The global Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that this project happened to be situated in challenged me in creating a safe and comfortable co-learning space. There- fore, this project focused on creating a digital- and home-based game experience. To hand over, other design practitioners and change agents can apply and transform the game as part of their fermentation projects. On a broader perspective, the concept of this explorative design game can be adapted inside but also outside the food sector.

The project serves as inspiration for a playful and at the same time careful approach to design and change-making. Moreover, it shows an example of shifting community spaces provoked by crises.

Keywords

Caring with, fermentation, game design, participatory design, change agency

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1 Introduction

The introduction starts by briefly describing my design project and its results. It highlights my personal background and motivation to this thesis project as well as its aims and purposes. Pointing out my curiosities but also limiting its scope by referring to its situated and partial characteristics. Ending with raising a research question.

1.1 Brief Project Description and Presentation of Results

The design project, a playful exploration of fermentation as a practice of caring with humans, non-humans and the planet Earth, and its results are going to be briefly described. In this project, I investigated in theory and practice how fun can be a driver to contribute to a greater good, a driver for change. The key aspect of my project was an Online Fermentation Game as a playful, conversational framework to explore together with co-learners the possibilities of more careful and sustainable food practices on the example of fermentation. Based on this game, I facilitated multiple iterations of my digital- and home-based Online Fermentation Game Event.

To document past and to promote future events as part of the exhibition, I created a teaser video of the game and event. In addition, I exhibited an interactive, participatory mapping about how to combine fermentation and care. Moreover, I displayed an online version of my Diary of a Caregiver. I invite you to follow the journey of my individual design project through this report —a process of care, playfulness and uncertainty. “We do not always know in advance what world is knocking, or what will be the consequences, and yet how to care remains a question on how we relate to the new.” (Puig de la Bellacasa, 2017, pp. 91–92)

1.2 Personal Background and Motivation

My motivation for this thesis project lay in my curiosity about the future of food and what role fermentation can play in there. Beyond some trials of fermenting vegan yoghurt and baking sourdough bread once in a while, I was fairly new to the field of fermentation. What was I afraid of? Does it really involve that much time to ferment fruits and vegetables, to care? Energy? Knowledge? I might not be a fermentation expert, but as a designer, I can bring in an engaging visual language. Combining my passions for food and games with the ones of photography, videography and event facilitation. Quite overwhelmed in the beginning but willing to dedicate this project to explore fermentation together with others through co-learning, practising care as individual and community. Beyond just human (self-) care. Since we as humans are just a tiny part of the equation.

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As a change agent, I practice design as a playful tool to bring people together, spark conversations and build communities. In this thesis project, I combined food design, in particular the practice of fermentation, with game design as a conversational framework to engage with within a co-learning community. My creative interest lies in working with people, in designing together with non-designers, rather than just for them. I cannot change others, but I can inspire for change, starting by changing myself. Continuously, as part of this roller coaster ride—called life. On a broader perspective of my work, I aim to highlight the possibilities and benefits of creating change together, starting from individual skills, visions and values. I believe that everyone can be an agent for change, therefore I try to reduce the fear that starting the process of change can evoke.

1.3 Aims and Purposes

Based on the metadesign framework ‘joining up nested levels of design’ (Tham, 2015 after Lundebye, 2004) the aims and purposes of my project were nested in three different levels—product, system and paradigm. Thereby, the focus lay on the ecological and social perspective of sustainability by caring with humans, non-humans and the planet Earth.

On the level of product, I developed an Online Fermentation Game as a conversational framework to explore together the possibilities of more careful and sustainable food practices on the example of fermentation. This game found application on a system level: With the format of an Online Fermentation Game Event, I aimed to offer a co-learning space to explore together the possibilities of more careful and sustainable food practices on the example of fermentation in a playful way. The purpose of the event was to create a dialogue about more than human care in relation to food, in particular fermentation. The aim was to inspire the co-learners to question their relationships around food and discover which actors to care with.

Beyond this project and in a larger context, I aim for a paradigm shift from the individualistic human benefit towards a notion of more than human care. This shift can make a huge difference regarding a more sustainability-oriented future of food. With this thesis project, I strived to make a small contribution to this long term vision.

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1.4 Area of Curiosity

Fermentation has a lot of positive impacts and can be seen as a practice of caring with humans, non-humans and the planet Earth. I was curious to explore this complex entangled web of actors through co-learning. Concentrating on the environmental and social aspects of those relationships. As humans, we are part of both perspectives. The social relations to ourselves, other humans and non-humans, like microbes, on the one hand, the environmental system of the planet Earth which we are a small but impactful part of on the other hand.

1.5 Delineation of Project

Design is partial. It is situated. We can not be everywhere in order to be somewhere.

This chapter reflects upon the focus and limitations that shaped my individual project. The core topics of my project were fermentation, care and game design. Start- ing from the human need for healthy food, the blind spot of acknowledging fermentation as a sustainability-oriented practice beyond human care, that the majority of other fermentation workshops is missing (see Chapter 3.2), was explored in a playful way. The global Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that this project happened to be situated in (see Chapter 3.1) challenged me in creating a safe and comfortable co-learning space. A careful decision had to be taken. Following my personal safety concerns regarding gathering with a group of people in a tiny workshop room, like the Design Department’s kitchen lab, this project focused on creating a digital- and home-based game experience.

While there is a multitude of possible ingredients and fermentation methods, my focus lay on the lactic acid fermentation of fruits and vegetables. By narrowing down on the social and environmental aspects of fermentation, historical and cultural aspects were outside the scope of this project. So were details to the biological aspects of fermentation. By approaching Sweden’s dependency on the global food market(- see Chapter 3.1), I exemplified a phenomenon that is also present in other countries of the world. Other design fields and practices that could have had informed the project were post-anthropocentric and posthumanist design, as well as slow design, speculative design and transition movements. Just to mention a few.

To sum up, an explorative design game worked as a conversational framework to explore together the possibilities of more careful and sustainable food practices on the example of fermentation. Played during a digital co-learning event that functions as a safe meeting point in times of a global pandemic that calls for physical separation.

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1.6 Formulation of Question

The iterative character of crafting my research question is visualized through the crossed-out text.

What can design do to enable co-learning spaces beyond human (self-) care?

What can game design do to explore fermentation as a process beyond human (self-) care?

What can game design do to explore fermentation as a practice beyond human (self-) care?

This question led to an exploration of how fun can be a driver to contribute to a greater good, a driver for change. In this particular project, I used game design to create a dialogue about more than human care in relation to food on the example of fermentation. The aim was to inspire the co-learners to question their relationships around food and discover which actors to care with. To support a change towards a more sustainability-oriented future of food for all actors involved—humans, non-humans and the planet Earth.

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2 Theoretical, Methodological and Analytical Frameworks

The purpose of this chapter is to describe and discuss the main theoretical, methodological and analytical frameworks drawn upon in this report, namely fermentation, care as well as game design and gamification. Moreover, it will be briefly indicated how those frameworks informed my design project.

2.1 Fermentation

Fermentation is the natural, transformative process of food with the help of bacteria and yeasts (Katz, 2012). This old preservation technique comprises various foods and methods. Thereby the practical hands-on aspects of my project were focused on fermenting fruits and vegetables with the method named ‘wild fermentation’

which is “based upon organisms spontaneously present on the food or in the environment”(Katz, 2012, p. 38). Those organisms, a group of bacteria, responsible for the fermentation process are called lactic acid bacteria (Hutkins, 2006). While some practitioners exclude vegetables with a high amount of chlorophyll (Biome Eco Stores, 2017) others have a more experimental approach to fermenting. I support the view of the self-called ‘fermentation revivalist’ Sandor Ellix Katz (2012) that every fruit or vegetable can be used to experiment with through fermentation if one considers it as an explorative journey with no guarantee of pleasing results.

The fermentation process of fruits and vegetables using dry salting can be broken down in different steps that also shaped the different levels of my Online Fermen- tation Game: Chopping, salting and massaging, packing, labelling, waiting and sensory observation (Katz, 2012). Thereby the fermentation practice is characterised by personal choices and preferences as well as influencing factors, like temperature, of the surrounding environment (Biome Eco Stores, 2017). The cleanliness of hands, tools, containers et cetera plays an important role during the whole process (Fermenting for Foodies, 2020).

Inside the fermentation container, it is essential that the food is fully covered under its juices or additionally added brine to prevent to much contact to mould encouraging oxygen. The fermentation container can be stored at room temperature. Once satisfied with the taste and texture of the fermenting fruits or vegetables it can be moved to a cool place, like the basement or a fridge, and can be kept there for about six months to a year. (Katz 2012, Biome Eco Stores, 2017)

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2.2 Care

“But what is care? Is it an affection? A moral obligation? Work? A burden? A joy? Something we can learn or practice? Something we just do?” (Puig de la Bellacasa, 2017, p. 1)

Starting off with this line of questions from the Puig de la Bellacasa (2017), an associate professor at the University of Warwick, already shows how versatile care can be understood. This chapter begins by laying out care from a theoretical point of research, followed by exemplifying how care and fermentation can relate. More- over, it will give a brief overview of the contextualising and collaborative Caregiver Manifesto for Living in Times of Social Distancing. The chapter finishes by intro- ducing the method of autoethnography as caring with documentation.

2.2.1 Care Theory

In an entangled web of the Earth’s ecosystem where humans are just a small part of, caring goes beyond human (self-) care. Care can involve various actors—living and non-living beings (Blustein, 1991; Tronto, 1993; Puig de la Bellacasa, 2017). The thesis project concentrated on humans, non-humans and the planet Earth. Keeping in mind that they all are interconnected. In dialogue with Tronto, a professor of po- litical science at the University of Minnesota, and Fisher, a professor of educational philosophy at New York University, (Tronto and Fisher, 1990, p. 40), Puig de la Bellacasa (2017) defines care as:

“everything that is done (rather than everything that ‘we’ do) to maintain, continue, and repair ‘the world’ so that all (rather than ‘we’) can live in it as well as possible. That world includes…all that we seek to interweave in a complex, life-sustaining web” (Puig de la Bellacasa, 2017, p. 161).

At this point, I would like to highlight, as already mentioned in Puig de la Bellaca- sa’s definition, that care is not just a theoretical construct, rather it is characterized as a practice (Tronto, 1993; Archer-Martin, 2017). While Fisher and Tronto (1990, pp. 40–46) subdivide the process of care into four parts: “Caring About”, “Taking Care Of”, “Caregiving” and “Care-Receiving”, the design researchers Duque and Popplow (2019 p. 3) propose the terminology of “caring with”. This notion of caring with informed my thesis project and its concept strongly.

In everyday speech, care is often used in a romanticised way. But we have to ac- knowledge that it is a judgemental practice with a high potential for conflicts (Tron-

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Hamington, a professor of philosophy at the Portland State University, questions

“how do we care for ‘distant’ others—those of whom we have little direct experience or knowledge?” (2004, p. 60). Microbes, which are invisible to the human eye without using technical means like a microscope, represented those others in my project. Hamington proposes the tool of “caring imagination” which is characterized by “empathy, critical reflection, and psychosocial context.” (Hamington, 2004, p.

65).

“Caring imagination is a product of the mind and body working in harmony.

The body provides an array of knowledge that creates imaginative possibilities. The type and degree of that knowledge will affect one’s ability to imagine.”(Hamington, 2004, p. 64)

Regarding the inquiry with the help of the body, I would like to point out the possibilities of sensorial exploration to support caring imagination. Similarly to Haming- ton’s concept of caring imagination, Puig de la Bellacasa (2017, p. 219) addresses the importance of “speculative thinking” and “fabulation” as part of the caring practice.

Caring imagination allowed me and my co-learners to care with none or little existing knowledge about fermentation. To ideate how to relate fermentation with the practice of care. Therefore it made the exploration of fermentation as a careful and sustainable food practice suitable for beginners. The Online Fermentation Game encouraged the co-learners to engage with all their senses while playing.

2.2.2 Caring With and Through Fermentation

Especially through its benefits for human health, the popularity of fermentation increases. This perception is also supported by Katz (2012, p. 23) who attributes this phenomenon to the health-related aspects: “It is the purported health benefits that are drawing many people to become aware of fermented foods as such”. But fermentation is more complex than creating benefits for human individuals. The following chapter exemplifies how fermentation can be seen as a practice of caring with humans, non-humans and the planet Earth. Some of those were mentioned as examples in the instructions of the levels of the Online Fermentation Game. Oth- ers were mentioned through me as the game host during the events to nurture the co-learning discussions. The co-learners who participated in the Online Fermenta- tion Game Events mapped out much more ideas about fermentation and care but to describe them all in detail does not fit into the scope of this thesis report.

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Out of my personal experience can the chopping of fruits and vegetables be seen as human self-care activity that releases stress through focusing on the activity itself.

Moreover, the long shelf life of fermented food adds a component of convenience as opposed to predominantly unhealthy regular convenience food. The outstand- ing taste of fermented food is another example of caring with the human self. Katz (2012) points out that fermentation can lead to a larger variety of microbes present in the human body. More health-related self-care aspects he describes in the following.

“Fermented foods, as a group, are highly nutritious and digestible. Fermenta- tion pre-digests foods, making nutrients more bioavailable, and in many cases fermentation generates additional nutrients or removes anti-nutrients or toxins.

Ferments with live lactic-acid-producing bacteria intact are especially sup- portive for digestive health, immune function, and general well being.” (Katz, 2012, p. 21)

Besides caring with the human self, one can also care with other humans through fermentation. As a symbol of caring with other humans fermented goods, starters and supplies can be exchanged amongst each other. Thereby crafting a label for a fermentation container can be seen as part of creating a gift for another human, as caring with another human. Moreover, skills and experiences can be shared through fermenting together as a co-learning process. Co-learning was a central element of my thesis project. In addition to those aspects of social sustainability, fermenting can also be regarded as preserving cultural values since fermentation is an old technique which was or still is present in different (food) cultures all over the world (Katz, 2012). Nevertheless will this cultural layer not be further discussed within the scope of this thesis report.

An example of caring with non-human species in the practice of fermentation are microbes. They need a certain environment that allows them the process of fermenting food. Salt influences this environment that allows certain bacteria, for example lactic acid bacteria, to grow and prevents other microorganisms, for example moulds, to occur (Katz, 2012). Understanding care as an interdependent relation- ship, the health aspects described in the human self-care paragraph can also be seen as part of caring with non-humans in the entangled web of the ecosystem. Even though I consider animal farming in general questionable, fermented food can also be used as animal feed for farm animals and pets. Comparable to humans they can profit from the pre-digestive characteristics of fermented products (Katz, 2012).

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Fermentation can have a positive influence on the planet Earth, for example through reducing the dependence on global imports due to preserving local and seasonal food, making it available outside its seasons. As a result, transport emissions can be saved. The pre-digestion of food through fermentation also leads to lower energy consumption through shorter cooking times and less need for cooling in the refrig- erator. Given that another coldish place, like a basement, is available to store the fermented food (Katz 2012).

2.2.3 Caring With Distance

In collaboration with other care practitioners, namely Clara Veneziano-Coen, Naďa Okruhlicová and Suzanne Sköld, I was involved in crafting the ‘Caregiver Mani- festo for Living in Times of Social Distancing’ as a framework to guide our design projects. It is a response to the challenges we are facing due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic from our designer and change maker point of views. We were inspired by the Manifesto for Living in the Anthropocene (Gibson, Rose and Fincher, 2015) and aimed to inspire other present or future caregivers.

In my project, our manifesto mainly informed the concept and the rules of the Online Fermentation Game as well as the discussion around care as the first level and entry point of it. Moreover, it was a practice of care in itself to exchange our thoughts and feelings with each other given the uncertainty the global pandemic yielded. The following excerpts of our manifesto were the most central ones to my project (Veneziano-Coen, et al., 2020). You can find the whole Caregiver Manifesto for Living in Times of Social Distancing in the appendix.

“Caring with as a knowledge creation

Caring with can be used as an experimental, explorative and attentive practice for knowledge creation. This practice moves in between discovering and reflecting, practicing and questioning. There are possibilities to reveal, unwrap, open up new trains of thoughts and expand existing pathways. In the following, we introduce tools of knowledge creation relevant to our design practice, that can be an inspiration beyond design.”

“Tools for questioning in times of social distancing:

● What types of networks can I explore during times of physical distancing?

● What is physically and/or mentally close to me that I can practice care with?

● How are networks expressed other than through physical closeness?

● What is close to me that I usually overlook or take for granted?”

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“Tools for practicing care:

● Delve into the practice of fermentation for example through different senses in a playful way. […]”

“Stories

Our life is a unique story. It is created and influenced by short tales of us and other beings, puzzle pieces that come together seamlessly. We are all co-creators of these narratives we are living and experiencing in the present. […]

To be able to understand the stories from more than humans we need to change our perception of language. Stories and storytelling can be expressed in more than just words.

● Yeast and bacteria communicate with us in the form of gas bubbles released during the fermentation process. The more bubbles released the more sugar is being eaten. […]

Narratives can also be explored, experienced and built with the physical em- bodiment of and with more than human materialities rather than just our minds

● Use different senses during the fermentation process. How does your food taste pure, salted or after a few days of fermentation? What are your impressions massaging the salted food to create an environment for microorganisms? How does it sound when bubbles travel to the surface of your fermentation jar?”

2.2.4 Caring With Documentation

A method of personal, qualitative research used in this design project is autoethnography. The following paragraph elaborates on this research method by referring to the autoethnographers Adams, Holman Jones and Ellis (2014). According to them, autoethnography involves “a researcher’s personal experience to describe and critique cultural beliefs, practices, and experiences” (p.1). Therefore it is a self-reflective practice that can also be affiliated to self-care since the method aims for personal understanding for the self. Nevertheless, it can additionally involve getting in dialogue with others.

In my project, I used autoethnography to describe and reflect upon my individual caring with fermentation experiments. Thereby I composed diary entries that were accompanied by photographs. My learnings captured in there informed the concept and content of the Online Fermentation Game and its events. As part of the co-learning practice, I shared my learnings in oral form during the events and displayed it as a digital diary (Föhr, 2020) in our online exhibition.

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2.3 Game Design and Gamification

The following chapter provides an overview of game design and gamification and its key elements used to conceptualize the Online Fermentation Game as a conversational framework. Starting with a discussion about game design and gamification from a theoretical perspective, it introduces the iterative character of the game design process in the following. Furthermore, this chapter points out how games can contribute to change in the context of participatory design.

2.3.1 Theory of Game Design and Gamification

Almost comparable to the term ‘care’, there is a huge variety of definitions of

‘game’ that I could elaborate upon in this chapter. But as game designer McGo- nigal (2011, p. 21) points out: “When you strip away the genre differences and the technological complexities, all games share four defining traits: a goal, rules, a feedback system, and voluntary participation”. On the blurry lines of terminology, Kapp (2012, p. 10), a professor of instructional technology at the Blooms- burg University of Pennsylvania, defines gamification as “using game-based mechanics, aesthetics and game thinking to engage people, motivate action, promote learning and solve problems.”

My Online Fermentation Game related most closely to the term of ‘exploratory design games’ introduced byBrandt (2010), a professor in social design at the Design School Kolding.

“As a format, exploratory design games include three elements: Exploratory, design and games. Exploratory indicates the purpose of participation. People bring different expertise and competencies into the design process. Through joint exploration, they develop new knowledge by engaging in participatory inquiry into existing practice and collaborative design of ‘possible futures’.

The participants use physical game materials to make design moves.” (Brandt, 2010, p. 131)

In dialogue with this definition, I point out that those games do not have to manifest in physical materiality. Rather physical movements, like writing on a sticky note, can be mimicked with digital means. Beyond that, digital spaces can materialize in their own, new ways. As an act of co-learning and triggered by the game and its instructions, I and other players participating in the Online Fermentation Game Events explored together the possibilities of more careful and sustainable food practices on the example of fermentation. The relations between games, change and participatory design will be further discussed in another chapter (see Chapter 2.3.3).

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Games consist of different elements that need to be considered while designing the game. Game developer Schell (2015) visualizes the interdependent and equally important game elements aesthetics, story, technology and mechanics in an elemental tetrad. The visual aesthetics of my Online Fermentation Game were influenced by the photographies taken during my individual fermentation experiments.

Moreover, the co-learners were encouraged to explore their ingredients with various senses during the gameplay. In terms of story, the game followed a linear narrative informed by the different steps of fermentation, nevertheless still enabling to jump back and forth between different levels. Regarding technology, food ingredients and kitchen equipment were required in addition to digital tools.

In the following paragraph, I will highlight the game mechanics that were of particular importance for the Online Fermentation Game and mainly informed by McGonigal (2011), Kapp (2012) and Schell (2015). The goal of the game gives the players a direction, something to aim for, a motivation (McGonigal, 2011). The goal of my game was to explore together the possibilities of more careful and sustainable food practices on the example of fermentation. Although crafting rules is an important part of designing a game, the game designer Zim- merman (2003) argues that it is the aspect of playfulness that is crucial.

“But the point of game design is not to have players experience rules—it is to have players experience play. […] Play arises out of the rules as they are inhab- ited and enacted by players, creating emergent patterns of behavior, sensation and interaction.” (Zimmerman, 2003, p.184)

In the Online Fermentation Game, the players as part of a co-learning community interacted with various actors—humans, non-humans and the planet Earth.

In contrast to many other games that are based on competition, cooperation as

“the act of working with others to achieve a mutually desirable and beneficial outcome” (Kapp, 2012, p. 32) was a significant mechanic in my game. As part of the feedback system, the game was structured in different levels. Certain ac- tivities in the game were supported by the use of a timer, intended as challenging but not stressing aspect.

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2.3.2 Iterative Game Design Process

Researchers and practitioners in the field (Salen and Zimmerman, 2004; Schell, 2015) highlight the iterative nature of the game design process. Essential steps in this lopping way of designing are “prototyping, playtesting, evaluation and refine- ment” (Salen and Zimmerman, 2004, p. 11).

This cyclic process of designing games is characterized by playfulness in itself. The game designers Salen and Zimmerman (2004, p.12) argue that due to “the iterative design process, the game designer becomes a game player and the act of play becomes an act of design.” Accordingly, my process of designing the Online Fermen- tation Game was defined by a playful approach. Not only while crafting the game, but also during the corresponding game events, was I an active game player—game host and playing co-leaner at the same time.

Playtesting is used to put the game prototypes into practice to gather input for im- provement of the game and its experience, for example in the form of direct feedback of test players or observation (Salen and Zimmerman, 2004; Schell, 2015).

Schell (2015, p. 436) suggests to centre playtests around “five key questions: Why, who, where, what, and how?”. In my project, playtesting was conducted in the form of the Online Fermentation Game Events. The game prototypes were refined for the next playtest based on feedback from co-learners and my observations.

2.3.3 Games for Participatory Change

Typically games are fun to play but how can they contribute to change? Westecott (2003, p.133), an associate Professor in Game Design at the OCAD University, attributes games “the potential to change society”. Moreover, she views games as

“a lens to look afresh on the world” (Westecott, 2003, p.129). Inspired through this, my project encouraged to look on food through the lens of care on the example of fermentation. Furthermore, McGonigal (2011) identifies the game element of reward that can motivate people for changes. A container filled with food at the beginning stage of the fermentation process that the co-learners end the game with can be viewed as a reward. Additionally, the option to share with the community images and comments as documentation of the individual fermentation process through the game platform can be considered rewarding.

Participatory design is an often-used framework when it comes to designing for change. Referring back to my belief in creating change through togetherness (see Chapter 1.2), I involved others as co-learners into the thesis project. Advantages of using games compared to other frameworks in participatory design processes are the

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3 Contextual Analyses

First of all, the contexts my project was situated in regarding space, time and collaboration, are illustrated in this chapter. Furthermore, a brief overview of contemporary and inspiring work carried out in the field of food, fermentation and gamification is presented. The chapter ends with elaborating on how this project can contribute to change, focussing on sustainability issues.

3.1 Situating Project Contexts

This chapter looks from multiple perspectives at what contexts my project was situated in. Let us take a look at Sweden’s food sector. Sweden is highly dependent on the global food market. “Around 50 percent of what we consume is bought in from the EU, or imported from other countries outside the EU”, according to Lind- gren, chairman of Civilförsvarsförbundet (Civil Defence Association) (The Local, 2017). It seems that in Sweden’s supermarkets almost everything is available the whole year round without much influence of the different seasons. More resilient and seasonal-based food practices need to come into play for a more sustainable food production and consumption—especially from an environmental and social point of view. The global food market and for example its corresponding transport emissions have a tremendous impact on all beings on this planet, human or non-human. Fermentation can be an example for such a careful and sustainability-oriented practice. Johansson (2008), a senior research officer at Formas’ Department for Agricultural Sciences, argues that the global food market led Sweden’s residents to a loss of connection to their food. Looking through the lens of culture, she claims that knowledge about how to store and prepare food is not as well spread anymore as it used to be in the past. My project aimed to inspire the co-learners to question their relationships around food, learn from each other and reconnect through the practice of caring with.

Throughout my studies in Design + Change, I learned how to encourage people towards positive behavioural changes. Learned about the changing climate et cetera.

Little did I know that a global pandemic would put the term + Change to a whole new level in my thesis semester. Coronavirus (COVID-19). Change of education from a physical towards an online-based study format. Change from spending most of my time in university facilities to rarely visiting them. Change of concepts.

New ways of meeting. Of community. Socialising. Distance. Closeness. The global Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that this project happened to be situated in

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The advice and safety guidelines varied from country to country. To frequently wash the hands and keeping a distance of at least one meter to other people were some of the recommended precautions of the World Health Organization (2020). Sweden’s strategy was different from the majority of other countries that enforced much strict- er rules. But after all, everyone had a responsibility to act mindfully. Carefully Not only but especially when facing uncertain and overwhelming situations, we have to check in with others and connect to our communities. Therefore, collaboration was an important value throughout my whole thesis project. Firstly, I col- laborated with my fellow student and more experienced fermentation practitioner Laura Fähndrich in the early phase of the project ideation. At this point, both of us were still quite unsure from which angle to approach fermentation in our particular thesis projects. Together, we hosted a small activity for and with our + Change peers to collect their multi-sensory associations to the topic of fermentation (see Chapter 4.1.1). As a response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, I crafted together with my fellow students and care practitioners Clara Veneziano-Coen, Naďa Okru- hlicová and Suzanne Sköld the ‘Caregiver Manifesto for Living in Times of Social Distancing’ (Veneziano-Coen, et al., 2020; see appendix) as a framework to guide our design projects.

Another important part of collaboration in my project was the co-learning together with players of the Online Fermentation Game in the context of the corresponding game events. Even though the format of a digital-based game allowed for interna- tional participation, in the beginning, I targeted residents of Småland, especially Växjö, that were in general curious about fermentation or concerned about the topics of environmental or social sustainability fermentation can have impacts on. There- by it did not play a role if the co-learners were already experienced practitioners of fermentation or had not stepped into the field yet. Neither was the age or profession of special importance. Everybody was welcome and worth to co-learn with. For the first series of events (after all I received sign-ups for two out of five events of this series), I invited 20 to 35-year-old residents from Växjö, students and non-students, that I already knew—from close friends to more distant acquaintances. This allowed me a more comfortable first step into the to me unfamiliar world of hosting participatory projects online. For the third event, I opened up the project for all residents of Växjö. From the fourth event on, the events allowed worldwide participation.

Nevertheless, in the end, all co-learners within the scope of the thesis semester were somehow related to Växjö. Past, present or future residents of this city. Enriching through diverse personal, cultural and professional backgrounds.

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3.2 Contemporary Work in the Field

This chapter discusses current projects and contemporary work carried out in the field of food, fermentation and gamification that informed my project. Through online research, I gathered an overview about the agendas and focal points of fermentation workshops in Sweden but also on a global scale. Besides the hands-on guided fermentation experiments, the focus of the majority of those workshops lies on human-centred health (e.g. Synbiotic Kitchen, Homemade Cultures and Sweden Foodtech, 2018; Simonsson, 2020; Pearson, n. d.) and/or cultural and historical aspects (e.g. Edgin, 2018; Studio Bragginn, 2020). Only the Impact Hub Stockholm (2018) mentioned sustainability in their workshop description. The catering compa- ny Charlie’s Rawsome (2018) brought in the aspect of care to its workshop. Starting from the human need for healthy food, the blind spot of acknowledging fermentation as a sustainability-oriented practice beyond human care, that the majority of other fermentation workshops is missing, was explored in my project.

One of the projects that inspired me during the development of the thesis proposal to work with gamification and playfulness was the collaborative project ‘Parlour of Food Futures’ (see Figure 2) of the design researcher Dolejšová and the philosopher and designer Kera. Based on the card game Tarot the design project initiates a dialogue through a speculative and explorative card game to speculate about the future of food. The conversational framework is used during events and offers food for thought from various perspectives of sustainability. (PARLOUR OF FOOD FUTURES, 2019)

Figure 1. Example of the project ‘Parlour of Food Futures’ in practice (PARLOUR OF FOOD FUTURES, 2019)

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Another inspiring project that combined playfulness and food is called ‘Traces Din- ner’ (see Figure 3) and is crafted by the food technologist and designer Baltz (n. d.):

“Traces is an eating experience that uses the table as canvas, tracing the interactions of guests by engaging them in a hands-on dinner”. This food performance inspired me to encourage the players of my game to use their tactile sense for exploration. In addition, I added the layers of other senses to the explorative design game.

Figure 2. Traces Dinner (Baltz, n. d.)

3.3 Design for Change

Design can foster change. In this particular project, design works as a change agent through the initiation and facilitation of the game event including the design of the game as a conversational framework. While exploring together with co-learners the possibilities of more careful and sustainable food practices on the example of fermentation, the focus lay on the environmental and social sustainability. The social relations to ourselves, other humans and non-humans, like microbes, on the one hand, the environmental system of the planet Earth which we are a small but impactful part of on the other hand. Even creating a co-learning space can be seen as an act of social sustainability. Although situated in times of physical separation (see Chapter 3.1), we need interaction, dialogue, exchange. This project challenged the anthropocentric, normative view through creating a dialogue about more than human care in relation to food, in particular fermentation. Inspiring co-learners to question their relationships around food and discover which actors to care with.

With this project, I strived to make a small contribution to my long term vision of a paradigm shift from the individualistic human benefit towards a notion of more than

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4 Design Project

Game is both process and outcome. On multiple layers. Individual and collective.

This chapter gives an insight into the process of the design project with its ups and downs and discusses, analyses and critically evaluates the results. Focusing on the lens of sustainability and drawing back to the theoretical, methodological and analytical frameworks (see Chapter 2).

4.1 Design Process

In visualizing my design process was I inspired by the theorem of trinamics that the artist Michelangelo Pistoletto (2003) based the concept of the ‘Third Paradise’

upon. My iterative design process was divided into three different parts that free- ly circulated within and beyond their bubbles. My design process was not linear and had neither a defined starting or endpoint. All steps were interdependent what allowed me to jump back and forth while working on the report, the design project and the exhibition. The following chapter highlights the most relevant parts of this design process. Thereby, the different steps will be described, analysed and critically evaluated from perspectives of sustainability while drawing upon earlier introduced frameworks (see Chapter 2).

IDEATING EXPLORING PROTOTYPING RESEARCHING

WRITING

PLAYTESTING EXHIBITING

Figure 3. Model of my design process

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4.1.1 Researching and Ideating Project Topic

This chapter gives an inside about how I arrived at the thesis topic of exploring fermentation as a practice of caring with humans, non-humans and the planet Earth.

Especially throughout my studies in Design + Change, I focused on projects that were more or less related to food design and/or participatory design. Therefore, I wanted to continue with this interest, also in regards to a possible future field of work. At the same time, I graved to do something new. Exploration. Looking into food preservation and processing. General interest but not really experience. In- formed by literature (e.g. Katz, 2012), I mapped out different food preservation and processing methods as a starting point to develop three different proposals. One proposal was a community circle around human-centred stories and food preservation-related knowledge from the past. Another one aimed for the development of co-created tools to increase the gratitude towards the non-human species that allow the fermentation of food.

But I did not want to concentrate on humans or non-humans exclusively. Inspired by a research day my fellow student Naďa Okruhlicová planned to host and offered me to collaborate in, I came across the topic of care. The idea to combine it with fermentation as a food practice with impacts on various actors—humans, non-humans and the planet Earth. Even though we collectively decided to cancel this research day due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, I am grateful that it brought in the aspect of care to my design project and practice. As visualisation and further inspiration at the early ideation stage, I created a mood board around the topics of food, fermentation, care and playful participation (see Figure 5).

Image sources: pixabay.com, pexels.com

Figure 4. Mood board (Pexels, n. d.; pixabay, n. d.)

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A more active form of design research that informed my thesis project was a small activity for and with our + Change peers that I hosted in collaboration with my fellow student and more experienced fermentation practitioner Laura Fähndrich in the early phase of the project ideation. Quite spontaneous we developed the concept for this activity while sitting together in the train to Kalmar, heading towards a day full of peer exchange in form of co-teaching workshops. Small means. A big piece of paper. Different coloured markers. Some kimchi and Sauerkraut that Laura brought with her on the way to Kalmar. To collect the multi-sensory associations of our peers to the topic of fermentation, we combined two metadesign methods. Of the ‘five-levels of processing storytelling tool’(Tham and Jones, 2008), we used the technique to write everything on one big paper with different coloured pens for different layers. Inspired by the tool ‘Five Diversities’ (Jones and Lundebye, 2012) Laura and I developed questions relating the proposed layers of emotional, social, cultural, ecological and economic diversity. The participants were encouraged to interact with the fermented food, for example by tasting or smelling, and map their associations to the diversities all together on the big paper. To sum up, a more important takeaway to me than the result of the mapping itself (see Figure 7) was the playfulness and multi-sensory exploration our small activity added to the practice of fermentation. Moreover, it was a good example of how we can all learn from each other through co-learning since everyone brings in their own experiences.

Figure 5. Work in progress peer workshop Kalmar

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Figure 6. Mapping result peer workshop Kalmar

4.1.2 Exploring Fermentation through Autoethnography

To get a deeper understanding of fermenting fruits and vegetables, I started my caring with fermentation experiments, using autoethnography (see Chapter 2.2.4).

Not only was this practical exploration and reflective documentation a part of caring for the human self by aiming for a deeper understanding of care and fermentation.

It can also be considered a way of playing between me and fermentation and all its involved actors. My learnings informed the concept and content of the Online Fermentation Game and its events. It felt rewarding to be able to share these experiences and knowledge gained with my co-learners. Inspiring them to start their own explorations. Besides documenting the process in the form of pictures, I captured my experiences through writing in a Diary of a Caregiver.

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For the online exhibition, I combined both, pictures and written diary entries, to a digital diary. Regarding the visual language of this diary, the photographs aimed to highlight different aspects of the explorative journey, like the gas bubbles in the fermentation containers I captured as macro shots. An additional layout element of a white frame was used. It intended to guide the eye of the reader and relates the concept of framework. In choosing a font, I aimed to use one that is comparable to my personal handwriting style for a more authentic look and feel. Following excerpts from the beginning and the temporary end of my fermentation exploration offer an insight into this diary (Föhr, 2020).

Figure 7. Title page Diary of a Caregiver

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Food. Fermentation. Exploring fields that are new to me. Dear diary, with you I want to capture my impressions, feelings, thoughts of this experimental exploration. Self-care, caring for with others, humans or not, planet Earth. How can care look like? What role will it have in my life? What does it need?

Time? Energy? Passion? Compassion? Empathy?

Almost two months have passed since starting with this hands- on part of my playful exploration of fermentation. Beyond human (self-) care. My shelf is empty. But I am full of experiences.

Ups and downs. Enthusiasm and surprises. Caring with. Time.

Energy. Dedication. Gratefulness. This is not the end, dear

diary. It was just the beginning. Looking for other more than

human encounters to care with. Thank you for accompanying me

on my journey.

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4.1.3 Ideating and Prototyping Online Fermentation Game

Participation needs a framework, a method. Something to encourage dialogue with.

Therefore, I developed an Online Fermentation Game as a conversational framework with the goal to explore together with co-learners the possibilities of more careful and sustainable food practices on the example of fermentation. This chapter introduces you to the design of my digital- and home-based game and its iterative process.

To start with the overall concept of the game, breaking with the normative call of parents to ‘stop playing with your food!’ was this playfulness an important part of the sensory experience in the Online Fermentation Game. In my role as a game host and player at the same time, I guided the co-learner through the step by step and hands-on fermentation of fruits and vegetables while exploring together the complexity of care in relation to fermentation. Following the method of wild fermentation (see Chapter 2.1), we made use of the microorganisms pre-existing on the food and surrounding. Caring imagination (see Chapter 2.2.1) allowed me and my co-learners to care with none or little existing knowledge about fermentation. To ideate how to relate fermentation with the practice of care. Putting down our ideas and associations to the game board with the help of digital sticky notes.

The playtesting of the game prototypes took place in form of Online Fermentation Game Events (see Chapter 4.1.4) with a duration of about two hours and a small co-learning group. The intended maximal group size was ten players. It did not play a role if the co-learners were already experienced practitioners of fermentation or had not stepped into the field yet. Neither was the age or profession of special importance. Everybody was welcome and worth to co-learn with (see Chapter 3.1).

Regarding technical aspects, playing the game requires two kinds of software. On the one hand, the communication worked over a video conferencing software, in that case zoom (Zoom Video Communications, Inc., 2020). Zoom does not require an account, co-learners could use it over their browser. On the other hand, the game itself was hosted with the help of an online collaboration tool. After comparing multiple alternatives, I decided for MURAL (Tactivos, Inc., 2020) since it allowed the co-learners to access without an account. After entering the zoom meeting of the Online Fermentation Game Event, the co-learners received a link to MURAL in the zoom chat. In addition to those digital tools, food ingredients and kitchen equipment were needed. As a way of artistic articulation, the aesthetics of my Online Fermenta- tion Game were influenced by the photographies taken during my individual fer-

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Moreover, the co-learners were encouraged to explore their ingredients with various senses during the gameplay. Part of the game was also a colour code for the sticky notes to keep a better overview over different angles of the care complexity like how, with whom and why to care with a certain actor.

Figure 9. First sketch game level

In the following, the flow of the game will be described based on its fifth prototype.

The story of the game followed a linear narrative. The fermentation process of fruits and vegetables using dry salting can be broken down in different steps (see Chapter 2.1) that also shaped the different levels of my Online Fermentation Game. Never- theless still enabling the co-learners to jump back and forth between different levels.

The warm-up of the game starts with an introduction round, where the participants are encouraged to share their name, where they are participating from and what fruits or vegetables they intend to ferment during the game. Afterwards, the players are introduced to the rules of the game. Thereby some of the rules highlight other game mechanics (see Chapter 2.3.1) as the use of the timer, the goal and levels. The game continues with an overview of the different levels as well as the key features of MURAL.

Figure 10. Game board prototype five

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For smoother entry, the first actual level, the intro, is a discussion about what and whom to associate with care. The second level is about chopping and stands met- aphorical for caring with the human self. Starting from there, the co-learners are encouraged, while chopping, to discuss about why and how to connect fermentation and human self-care. Afterwards, it is time to capture their thoughts with digital sticky notes. This principle of hands-on food processing and discussion followed by mapping continues in the other levels. The third chapter is about salting and massaging the food as a way of caring with non-humans. As creating a certain environment for and with microbes to encourage the fermentation process. By packing the grated, salted and massaged food into a container, the players create their own kind of ecosystem. Therefore the discussion in the fourth level surrounds the topic of caring with the planet Earth. Creating a label for the fermentation container can be seen as part of creating a gift for another human. Caring with another human. Taking this as a starting point of level five, the co-learners are encouraged to name their new companion, create a physical label and in the meanwhile think of with whom, how and why to care in relation to fermentation and human care.

Towards the end of the game, in level six, the players have a container with food at the beginning stage of its fermentation process in their hands. This fermentation container functions as a tool to continuously practising care with beyond the participatory game event. Referring back to the beginning of the game, where the participants were asked to hold their unprocessed fruits or vegetables into the camera, they can now present their fermentation container. Starting from a few caregiving tips, brainstorming and exchanging of more tips take place with the help of digital sticky notes. Afterwards, the co-learners get introduced to the possibility to share their caring practice in form of pictures or text over the game page on MURAL (level 8 SHARING IS CARING), beyond the time frame of the game event. The game and the corresponding event end with a feedback session. With the help of sticky notes, the participants reflect on the positive (plus) and improvable (delta) aspects of the game and event experience (see Chapter 4.2).

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Based on this feedback from co-learners and my observations, the game prototypes were refined and followed by another event as playtest. Since I described above only the game flow of the fifth prototype, in the following I further elaborate what changes informed the game over time. Examples are the minor text changes in the rules and level instructions for clarification reasons. To emphasize the aspect of sensual exploration, the texts got fine-tuning in terms of languaging. There were changes in background pictures throughout the process for more variety and readability as I proceeded further in my individual fermentation experiments. As a learning from working on the exhibition website, I compressed the background images for faster loading times. Smaller elements, like a white space to try out the MURAL features, an overview over the game levels in the form of text and a visual or the naming of the fermentation container, were added during the process.

Being adaptive to the feedback of co-learners. Showing vulnerability. Gratefulness.

In response to comments of participants, I even added a new level to the game.

A discussion about what care means to each other as a smoother entry point. This chapter was in particular informed by the Caregiver Manifesto for Living in Times of Social Distancing (Veneziano-Coen, et al., 2020; see appendix). Not only did I added a new level, but I also flipped around the brainstorming part of the game inspired by co-learners to discussion first and mapping subsequently. One change that did not work out as intended was to use the outline tool of MURAL to reveal levels one by one. It was not possible to lock the level’s content properly. As I was not aware of that, the corresponding playtest became quite messy since other players started moving things accidentally. I fixed this issue on the go during the event and decided to go back to showing all levels from the beginning.

4.1.4 Online Fermentation Game Events as Playtesting

In my project, playtesting (see Chapter 2.3.2) of the game prototypes was conducted in the form of the Online Fermentation Game Events. With this format, I aimed to offer a co-learning space to create a dialogue about more than human care in relation to food, in particular fermentation. To inspire co-learners to question their relationships around food and discover which actors to care with.

Being present on social media. As the centre of the event promotion, I created Face- book event pages, offering different dates to participate in. With the event description, I aimed to give an inviting and encouraging insight into the project. Additional- ly, the Facebook event informed about which ingredients and equipment was needed to participate.

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Figure 12. List of ingredients and equipment

To allow better planning and getting feedback to the ethical concerns presented in the event description, sign-up in advance was required. Signing-up was mainly possible via email. In some event iterations, I added the option of Facebook Messenger.

After signing up, the co-learners received a link to the zoom meeting. The link to MURAL was sent in the chat of zoom, once the game event started. The screens of zoom and MURAL were recorded for documentation purposes. I shared the event in different Facebook groups, for example related to Växjö, fermentation and sustainability. Moreover, I invited people through individual invitations and group chats over Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. In terms of visual language, I used comparable to the game itself photographs of my individual fermentation experiments (see Chapter 4.1.2) to keep consistency in the visual identity. I experimented with different header images and also used a header video for one of the event pages.

As well as the design of the prototypes, the design of the event passed through iterative changes based on the feedback of co-learners and my observations. Apart from minor text changes, like adding a definition of fermentation into event description or the possibility to use a clean stone on a plate as fermentation weight, I used additional visuals to exemplify alternatives to professional fermentation weights. I had to remind myself constantly to make more use of the timer tool in MURAL. Con- cerning the set-up, the video background was re-framed a bit and a smartphone as a second camera focusing on the food preparation added. Facing annoying technical issues with the screen recording of MURAL I had to optimise my workaround. After discussing with peers and experimenting with different software, the best case was

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4.1.5 Exhibiting

My design project was exhibited in the digital exhibition ‘Windows of Opportunity Department of Design Graduation Exhibition 2020, LNU’ (Department of Design Linnaeus University, 2020). This chapter gives you an overview of my process of transforming my work to digital exhibition context. In the appendix you find a full page screenshot of the individual exhibition website. Working in the production group that was responsible for the program and logistics of the exhibition, being, as their representative, responsible for the communication with the three other production groups on top of working on my individual exhibit was challenging time- and energy-wise. Nevertheless, I managed to open up different ways to let exhibition visitors look through this window of opportunity.

Figure 13. Feature image main page

Main exhibition page. Getting a glimpse on every project in the form of feature image in a window frame. For this feature image, I mimicked window bars that struc- ture a collage of pictures used in the game. Looking through the window by clicking on it. Individual page. Firstly, the visitor got a short introduction to the exhibited work n the form of text. As part of the exhibition program, there was the possibility to participate in Online Fermentation Game Events (see Chapter 4.1.4) on two dates.

Even though this time window closed without any sign-ups, individuals and groups can still contact me via email to arrange an event opportunity together. The invita- tion to the game events and the list of required ingredients and equipment was exhibited as pictures alongside two visuals of using fermentation weight alternatives.

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To document past events and to promote participation in future events, I exhibited a teaser video of the Online Fermentation Game and corresponding event. For the video, I combined mapping scenes of the game with footage of the hands-on food fermentation. The scenes are accompanied by statements of the co-learners and background music. The technique to mix and reassemble the zoom video frames to moving collages takes up the window related topic of the exhibition and give a good look and feel for the food interaction.

Figure 14. Work in progress video

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As an alternative to joining one of the Online Fermentation Game Events, the exhibition visitors were encouraged to map out their associations to fermentation and care in an Interactive Care Mapping. This mapping was hosted on the collaborative platform MURAL. The design of the mapping matches the one of the Online Fer- mentation Game. As a base, the mapping clusters the input of the preceding game events. The visitors can add additional sticky notes.

Figure 16. Preview picture Interactive Care Mapping

To get a deeper look into how I care with and through fermentation, the visitors could browse through my Diary of a Caregiver (see Chapter 4.1.2) that accompanied me on my explorative journey. Moreover, they could open and download it as a pdf in a new tab.

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4.2 Results

As a result of this iterative process, a playful, still careful journey, I reached the fifth prototyping stage with the explorative Online Fermentation Game. The previ- ous prototypes have been playtested as part of four events with all together eleven co-learners. This past, present and future residents of Växjö enriched the exploration by engaging in conversations and bringing in a diversity of personal, cultural and professional backgrounds. Caring imagination (see Chapter 2.2.1) allowed me and my co-learners to care with none or little existing knowledge about fermentation.

To ideate how to relate fermentation with the practice of care. Therefore it made the exploration of fermentation as a careful and sustainable food practice suitable for beginners. Together we came up with a lot of different ideas about with whom, how and why to care with humans, non-humans and the planet Earth through fermentation. This input worked as a base for an interactive mapping that was exhibited in addition to the teaser video and the Diary of a Caregiver in the digital exhibition (see Chapter 4.1.5). Summarizing, I would like to quote one of the co-learners com- menting on the experience:

“We might be sharing the same ideas or totally different but at the same time, we put them all together in an engaging way. We learn from each other even though we have different languages, different cultures, different backgrounds and I think this is mind-blowing.”

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5 Summary and Discussion

Dedicating time for processing and reflection is an important part of practising care.

Taking a look back. But also looking forward. The thesis concludes with a summary of the project and discussion of learning outcomes and key insights. Moreover, it highlights how to proceed with the project, states potential collaborators and hands over to other designers and change agents.

5.1 Summary and Discussion Project

Taking a look back. Around the research question ‘What can game design do to explore fermentation as a practice beyond human (self-) care?’ I investigated in theory and practice how fun can be a driver to contribute to a greater good, a driver for change. The key aspect of my project was an Online Fermentation Game as a playful, conversational framework to explore together with co-learners the possibilities of more careful and sustainable food practices on the example of fermentation.

Based on this game, I facilitated multiple iterations of my Online Fermentation Game Event. Those game events took about two hours and were facilitated via the video conferencing software zoom and the collaborative platform MURAL. To document past events and to promote future events as part of the exhibition, I created a teaser video of the game and event. In addition, I exhibited an interactive, participatory mapping about how to combine fermentation and care. This mapping was hosted on the collaborative platform MURAL. Through this mapping also the exhibition visitors that did not have time to participate in the game event could interact with the exhibit by adding sticky notes to the already existing ones exported from the game events. Moreover, I displayed an online version of my Diary of a Caregiver to browse through but also to download as a pdf.

In this particular project, I used game design to create a dialogue about more than human care in relation to food on the example of fermentation. The aim was to inspire the co-learners to question their relationships around food and discover which actors to care with. To support a change towards a more sustainability-oriented future of food for all actors involved—humans, non-humans and the planet Earth.

Some challenges that I encountered during the process were that it was hard to reach out to people I did not know yet. Some participants who signed up via email also did not join on the evens without notifying me about it. During the game events, it was sometimes hard to intervene in conversations that became too off-topic. Willing on being direct but at the same time not harsh.

Beyond human (self-) care: Exploring fermentation as a practice of caring with humans, non-humans and the planet Earth

Master thesis project report