Postcolonial Graphic Design: Dismantling Western Visual Domination in Arab Design Systems A Reading in Redefining Identity through Local Fonts and Symbols

مؤسسة الشرق الأوسط للنشر العلمي

عادةً ما يتم الرد في غضون خمس دقائق

الإصدار التالي: 06 سبتمبر 2025
من مجلة الشرق الأوسط للنشر العلمي

Postcolonial Graphic Design: Dismantling Western Visual Domination in Arab Design Systems A Reading in Redefining Identity through Local Fonts and Symbols

Dr. Mohammed Omar Hamdan
Abstract

This research paper examines the postcolonial dimensions of graphic design in the Arab world, focusing on how contemporary designers are challenging Western visual hegemony through the reclamation and reimagination of local typography, symbols, and visual languages. The study investigates the complex interplay between colonial legacies and indigenous design traditions across the Gulf region, North Africa, and the Levant, analyzing how designers are developing decolonial approaches that assert visual sovereignty while engaging with global design discourses. Through qualitative analysis of rare and previously unexplored case studies, including the Syrian Design Archive, 40MUSTAQEL studio's Arabfuturism, and emerging typographic innovations, this research identifies key strategies employed by Arab designers to dismantle Western visual domination. The findings reveal how the development of authentic Arabic typefaces, the revival of cultural symbols, and the critical rejection of orientalist design clichés contribute to a growing movement of design decolonization. This paper argues that these practices not only represent aesthetic choices but constitute political acts of resistance against cultural erasure and homogenization. By documenting these emerging practices, this research contributes new knowledge to the field of graphic design by highlighting how postcolonial design approaches in the Arab world are creating alternative modernities that challenge the universalist claims of Western design paradigms while fostering cultural hybridity that honors local visual traditions.

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مجلات علمية