Gender (dis)orders: in Swiss graphic design

The absence of women in the field of Swiss graphic design is examined using a full survey of graphic design graduates at Bern University of the Arts. The project reconstructs patterns of professional development and analyses diversity rela

Factsheet

  • Lead school Business School
  • Additional schools Bern Academy of the Arts
  • Institute(s) Institute Practices and Theories in the Arts
    Institute for Innovation and Strategic Entrepreneurship
  • Research unit(s) Art as Research: artistic creation and epistemologies
    Strategic Entrepreneurship
  • Funding organisation BFH
  • Duration (planned) 01.01.2020 - 31.12.2020
  • Project management Prof. Dr. Claus Noppeney
  • Head of project Prof. Dr. Claus Noppeney
  • Project staff Wara Ugarte Vallejos
    Prof. Dr. Priska Gisler
    Benjamin Adriaensen
  • Keywords Awards, Design awards, Career, design research, Bern University of the Arts, HKB, Hochschule der Künste Bern, Professional development, Career guide, Institutional fields, Art Directors Club, Oldboys

Situation

Graphic design continues to be a field marginalizing women as the all-male Art Directors Club board demonstrates. This absence of women sharply contrasts with the success of female design students that have outnumbered male students for decades.

Course of action

This "graphic glass ceiling" is at the core of this project. The research approach builds on a full survey of graphic design graduates at Bern University of the Arts as well as complementary narrative interviews and

Result

The project reconstructs patterns of professional development and analyses diversity related norms in the field.

Looking ahead

The results are used to design a "travel guide" helping students to navigate in this "genderblind" field.

Es ist ein Kopfumriss gezeichnet, in dem ein grosses Fragezeichen ist. Über dem Kopf sind die Zeichen für weiblich, männlich, nonbinär und weitere angeordnet.
Wie sind die Geschlechter oder ihre Zuschreibungen in den grafischen Werdegängen vertreten?