Abstract
Considering design as a discipline capable of initiating transformative processes in society unveils a scenario rich with potential evolutions. Social norms contribute to defining identities when investigated through perspectives encompassing gender, culture and ethnicity. The constant presence of design in people's lives brings an unquestionable social mandate, and Maldonado (2019) expresses the necessity of contemplating this aspect. Never denied in Europe (Walker, 1989) this is crucially pivotal elsewhere (Ford, 2023). Identifying the responsibilities and consequences of disciplinary applications is central, within theoretical literature discussing ontological design: design itself designs and influences our lives (Willis, 2006). By engaging with a critical perspective through the lenses of gender studies, it is becoming evident that existing “norms” no longer align with evolving social models. What can design learn from its past and how re-assessing behaviours and practices can bring benefits, bridging the past towards a fluid future? The paper wishes to open a theoretical debate by participating in a mandatory will, involving expressions and statements. Speculative Design incorporating key concepts of Anticipatory Thinking imagines possible futures, particularly in backcasting (Poli, 2017): through a process that breaks the timeline, starting from past observations moving into the future, and returning to reason about the present, this evolution must resonate with society's dynamics. Not fashion, communication or product design will be the focus within this paper, but a wider discourse about behaviours and belongings that in all these realms reveal how design is unfairly gender oriented: the discipline’s evolution requires a multidisciplinary imperative.
Author Information
Luisa Chimenz, University of Genoa, Italy
Sara Iebole, University of Genoa, Italy
Paper Information
Conference: KAMC2024
Stream: Gender
This paper is part of the KAMC2024 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Chimenz L., & Iebole S. (2024) Breaking Boundaries: How Design Transforms Social Roles and Gender Stereotypes ISSN: 2436-0503 – The Kyoto Conference on Arts, Media & Culture 2024: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 213-221) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2436-0503.2024.21
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2436-0503.2024.21
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