Language has the power to shape how we think about science, research, and the world around us. With the Lexicon Deck, Associate Professor Erika Szymanski and her team created a tool that uses words and images to spark new, inclusive ways of discussing the well-being of other species and ecosystems.
Erika Szymanski, an associate professor of English, and her team have developed a 57-card lexicon deck designed to rethink how science, policy, and research are discussed. This innovative deck combines visually compelling images with carefully chosen words, each accompanied by descriptions, contextual quotes, and links to related concepts grouped into unique “suits”. The cards are categorized into five types—Prompt, Tool, Lens, Method, and Unsettling Thing—each encouraging users to reflect on various aspects of multispecies interdependence.
The lexicon deck aims to shift conversations away from a human-centered perspective, promoting consideration of the well-being of other species and ecosystems. It is a creative tool to spark new insights, reframe questions, and help overcome communication barriers. Szymanski emphasizes the importance of language in shaping discussions, believing that words can act as tools to facilitate meaningful interactions.
“When I am in conversations that can get stuck in familiar patterns, I want to introduce different words as a way to build a different conversation,” she explains.
The idea for the lexicon deck emerged from a workshop linked to the Future Organisms project, which focuses on responsible research and innovation. The team aimed to create a vocabulary that may reconfigure how people think about science and policy. Building conversations, incorporating diverse perspectives, and encouraging active listening is key to their approach.
Rooted in critical feminist multispecies theory and rhetoric of science, Szymanski’s work is designed to make complex concepts accessible and engaging. She hopes the bite-sized format of the lexicon deck will inspire thought-provoking discussions in classrooms and workshops, prompting individuals to explore ideas more deeply. Szymanski envisions it stimulating “sticky” thoughts that connect to broader themes, encouraging continuous reflection and exploration.
“We want this to be thought-provoking and prompt people to think, ‘I am not really sure what is going on here. I need to keep thinking on that’,” she adds.
Learn more at csustrata.org/technology-transfer/available-technology/more-than-human-lexicon-deck.
The deck is ideal for workshops, classrooms, policy meetings, and more, offering a flexible tool to reframe conversations and inspire inclusive approaches to science and policy. For licensing inquiries, contact Jessy McGowan at jessy.mcgowan@colostate.edu.