liberatingin

Liberatingin is a term used in speculative and applied discourse to describe a practice or framework aimed at expanding autonomy by removing constraints within systems—technological, social, and institutional. Rather than a single theory, it functions as a family of strategies intended to enable individuals and communities to act with greater freedom in everyday contexts.

Origin and etymology: The term appears to have emerged in online discussions in the early 2020s, combining "liberation" with "in" to emphasize both liberation and integration—bringing freedom into ongoing practices rather than as a one-off event. It is sometimes written liberating-in or liberating in.

Framework: Liberatingin centers on three axes: empowerment (epistemic and practical autonomy for individuals), infrastructure (removal of gatekeeping and burdensome processes), and inclusivity (ensuring marginalized groups are truly included). Methods include participatory design, plain-language communication, open access, and policies that favor user control and transparency.

Applications: In education, liberatingin informs inclusive curricula and accessible pedagogy. In technology, it guides user-centered design and anti-bureaucratic interfaces. In governance, it motivates transparent decision-making and participatory budgeting. It also finds use in community organizing, libraries, and nonprofit work where sustaining autonomy is a goal.

Reception and critique: The term has been praised for foregrounding autonomy and inclusion, but critics note its vagueness and potential to be co-opted as a marketing slogan. Implementations may risk superficial changes without deeper structural reform, and measuring outcomes can be challenging.

See also: autonomy, open access, participatory design, liberation.