Ahn Young-joo graduated from Hongik University, Department of Art, and received her doctorate from the same university with a thesis titled “Critical Discourse on Vernacular Design and Political Possibilities.” She has lectured on various design cultural theories such as design and material culture, design history, and craft theory at Hongik University and Konkuk University, and is currently an adjunct professor at Konkuk University’s Department of Industrial Design. Her publications include Visual Culture and Design (co-authored), and her papers include “A Study on Vernacular Design in Charlotte Perriand’s Design,” “The Politics of Design: Design as Sensory Transformation,” and “The Cultural Status of Vernacular from a Postcolonial Perspective.” She writes for various media outlets including Design Criticism, discussing design from a sociocultural perspective and is researching new possibilities for craft.