Social Ties
Women Making: Negotiating Embodiments Through Craft and Fashion in Contemporary Mexico
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Jeannine Diego
Style-fashion-dress has recently revealed itself as a complex nodule through which young Mexican women from different backgrounds are actively negotiating their individual and collective identities, in a thrust toward autonomy and agency. In post-pandemic times -and as a direct result of Covid’s impact on the livelihood of Mexican women- groups of young urban feminists who engage in craftivism in public spaces have sprouted throughout the metropolitan area’s public squares. Activities are organized around the sale of recycled or upcycled garments as well as around empowerment, solidarity and the reclaiming of a collective body, vis-à-vis societal and governmental negligence toward the safety, integrity and economic dignity of women. Generally speaking, these highly politicized young women adopt strident modes of dressing (piercings, tattoos, bold hair colors and hairstyles) that stand in deliberate opposition to conservative middle-class codifications around modesty and “good” behavior. Meanwhile, for young women in traditional indigenous communities where the collective body and ancestral textile-making are still organized around deep-seated patriarchal systems in which property, labor, financial independence, and political engagement remain the exclusive privilege of men, style-fashion-dress is also a space where individual expression, creation and livelihood are negotiated vis-à-vis an imposed collective identity linked, in-turn, to notions of Mexicanness oftentimes sustained by the idealization of traditional indigenous values. Case studies afford an opportunity to examine style-fashion-dress as the signifying space where the two apparently opposing directions cross paths, where the one becomes -albeit momentarily- the other, where they meet halfway.
Exploratory Observations in Irish Women's Health Services: A Tool to Scope Opportunities for Responsible Design
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Ihsan Kamil, Eoin White, Muireann McMahon
This study outlines the use of exploratory observations as a scoping tool for design-based research in healthcare domains. It aimed to explore the current state of healthcare provision across women’s health services in Ireland to identify future research directions and opportunities for responsible design interventions. Amidst growing global sustainability challenges, there is a pressing need to leverage design to drive lasting, sustainable change in healthcare services. Furthermore, the lack of innovation in design for women’s health highlights an urgent need for focused, impactful design solutions within this under-researched field. Coupled with background research, exploratory observations were completed across a range of obstetric and gynaecological clinical settings in the Mid-West Region of Ireland. These settings included outpatient gynaecology clinics (ambulatory and referral clinics), a high-risk antenatal clinic, and guideline implementation meetings. In total, 31 hours of active observation were conducted across these settings to build an understanding of systems, processes, and products used within them. Observations were documented through detailed fieldnotes, which were subsequently used to identify opportunities for responsible design and future research directions in the field. This study found that conducting exploratory fieldwork at the outset of design-based research is a valuable tool for identifying opportunities for future research and for defining research scope. It also contextualised the realities of care provision within the sector, an insight essential for defining future research directions. This study triggered a future research direction focusing on reducing the environmental impact of maternity care services without compromising the quality of care provided.
A Review on the Relationship Between Social Impact and Design Thinking
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Sevcan Ekmekçioğlu, Sebnem Timur
Design thinking gives the opportunity to use designer tools to solve problems of all sorts. Specifically, solving social problems and creating social impact has been the issue of academic research and professional practice. In recent years, notions like social innovation and social entrepreneurship with the purpose of creating social impact have been used and studied together under the umbrella term of design thinking. This paper focuses on the relationship between creating social impact and using design thinking methods to solve social problems. To identify their potential, the study examines the theoretical structure of design thinking, social innovation, and social entrepreneurship through social impact-oriented projects. As long as providing a review of the common points between the two; especially the way they try to tackle wicked problems; examples of projects created within the framework of design thinking are exemplified to demonstrate this relation.
Featured Bridging Identities: Mediating Authenticity in Nigerian Visual Design Practices
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Ashley Stewart
Nigerian visual design, rooted in traditional art forms such as Igbo Uli motifs, Yoruba Adire patterns, and Northern Nigerian geometric designs, offers a dynamic lens for exploring cultural authenticity in a globalized world. This study examines how these symbols are reimagined through modern visual communication channels like digital typography, animation, film, and social media, positioning Nigerian designers as agents of cultural preservation and innovation. Grounded in postcolonial theory, the research addresses tensions between continuity and change in global design practices. Semiotics decodes cultural narratives within visual forms, while actor-network theory (ANT) maps relationships among designers, technologies, and audiences. Visual culture theory highlights the broader role of media in shaping societal perceptions and identities. Using a qualitative methodology, the study integrates visual ethnography to document traditional and modern design practices, alongside content analysis to compare artifacts and their digital adaptations. Case studies of branding campaigns and advertisements explore practical applications of cultural motifs, while participatory workshops engage designers in co-creating digital reinterpretations of traditional art. Critical discourse analysis examines public narratives, including social media and international reception. The research advocates for an inclusive global visual grammar that respects local narratives and addresses intellectual property concerns to sustain Nigerian visual heritage. By bridging local and global identities, Nigerian designers emerge as cultural mediators, redefining universal design principles through innovative visual representations.
