Includes bibliographical references (pages 237-239) and index.

Introduction / Steven Heller -- Section I. Graphic design as system : Grand unified theory of nothing: design, the cult of science, and the lure of big ideas / Randy Nakamura -- Towards critical autonomy, or can graphic design save itself? / Andrew Blauvelt -- Method designing: the paradox of modern design education / Jessica Helfand -- Painting the world pink / William Owen and Fenella Collingridge -- Default systems design: a discussion with Rob Giampietro about guilt and loss in graphic design / Rudy VanderLans -- The birth of the user / Ellen Lupton -- Quantum leap: beyond literal materiality / Johanna Drucker -- From the (A) trivial to the (B) deadly serious, lists dominate visual culture / Alice Twenlow -- Section II. Graphic design as culture : The beauty part / Rick Poynor -- The image culture / Christine Rosen -- Thinking inside the box: Aspen revisited / Emily King -- Where the girls go / Maud Lavin -- Graphic design in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art / Paola Antonelli -- American mutt / David Barringer -- Section III. Graphic design as fashion : The decriminalization of ornament / Alice Twenlow -- Style is not a four letter word / Mr. Keedy -- Not your grandmother's clenched fist / Phil Patton -- The shock of the old: rethinking nostalgia / Jessica Helfand -- Crimes against typography: the case of avant garde / Steven Heller -- Section IV. Graphic design as politics : A president and his dog / Karrie Jacobs -- The citizen designer / Victor Margolin -- Where public meets private: the Los Angeles Woman's Building / Teal Triggs -- Fighting the image wars / Steven Heller -- Human dignity and human rights: thoughts on the principles of human-centered design / Richard Buchanan -- Since then / Milton Glaser -- Raging bull / Rick Poynor -- Castles made of sand / Lorraine Wild -- My country is not a brand / William Drenttel -- Section V. Graphic design as passion : The cult of graphic design / Adrian Shaughnessy -- Graphic fantasies: reflections in the glass ceiling / Véronique Vienne -- Experimental typography: whatever that means / Peter Bilak -- Design as religion / Nick Currie -- Designing under the influence / Michael Bierut -- Part notes / Rob Giampietro -- Design out of bounds? / Dan Nadel -- Designing the real world / Al Robertson -- Innovation and restraint: the book designs of Richard Eckersley / Roy R. Behrens -- Section VI. Graphic design as idea : Dumb ideas / Mr. Keedy -- Wonders revealed: design and faux science / Jessica Helfand and William Drenttel -- Ed words: Ruscha in print / Michael Dooley -- Visitations / Denise Gonzales Crisp, Kali Nikitas, Louise Sandhaus -- Visitations revisited / Rudy VanderLans -- Mad Dutch disease: ten proposals for a lecture on Dutch design / Michael Rock -- Why designers can think / Ralph Caplan.