Dear Bob,
You said:
"I wasn't aware that such a thing was possible on this list and had assumed, perhaps erroneously, that the chain of exchanges to this point (taking into account the vast number of previous interwoven threads over the past 12 years of e-mails here) are for the most part very open, proactive, exploratory, multifaceted, and encouraging of same. Perhaps I have totally misunderstood the culture of the list. But somehow, I don't think so."
This is a perfect illustration of what Teena was trying to say. (I am not a feminist theorist so forgive me if I do not quote any new material - I am attempting to interpret Teena's posts and add my own experience - gasp! God forbid! - of this list over the past 17 years). The culture of the list is affected by gender. How you perceive the culture is affected by your experience of it which is mediated by your gender. You do not experience the list in the same way that I do because your gender allows you to be blind to those aspects of the culture that are crystal clear to me. Just as I do not see my own white privilege a lot of the time, you do not see your own male privilege.
We do not really expect you to start seeing it, but just to accept that it is there and that others see it.
Thea
Associate Professor Thea Blackler
Associate Director, QUT Design Lab
School of Design
Queensland University of Technology
2 George Street
Brisbane
QLD 4001
Australia
Phone: +61 7 3138 7030
Mobile: +61 410 736494
Web: https://research.qut.edu.au/designlab/
Eprints: http://eprints.qut.edu.au/view/person/Blackler,_Alethea.html
-----Original Message-----
From: PhD-Design - This list is for discussion of PhD studies and related research in Design [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Bob Este
Sent: Friday, 27 January 2017 3:00 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Further to "Our New Age of Contempt"
Dear Teena:
I am sorry you chose to miss the illustrative point I had offered of joining me in envisioning a suspension if not the dissolution of what I will here denote as "anchor" differences. This was my attempt to establish or at least pursue what I had hoped would turn out to be valuable commonalities and constructive following moves on this list.
In addition, I was not aware that what we have before us right now on this list is exclusively a discussion on gendered practices in disciplinary discourses -- or that, if it is not precisely this, that someone has directed that it should be or shall be so, that everyone has collectively agreed to such a direction, or that we had all forgotten the centrality of these concerns, and therefore that we are all waiting for everything to be clarified.
If this is the case and I have been mistaken in my understandings of both the focus of and the proper processes to achieve fulfillment on the list, then: my bad. For some reason, I didn't get that memo. I wasn't aware that such a thing was possible on this list and had assumed, perhaps erroneously, that the chain of exchanges to this point (taking into account the vast number of previous interwoven threads over the past 12 years of e-mails here) are for the most part very open, proactive, exploratory, multifaceted, and encouraging of same. Perhaps I have totally misunderstood the culture of the list. But somehow, I don't think so.
True, there are common threads among many people's interests that have been revealed through the space and time here (and perhaps someone will write or has written a great piece of software that will permit clear and inarguable explication of same -- this might be a useful research project in and of itself), but I'm not clear about how the ship of self-governance of this list acquired a compass, keel, a rudder and sails that all steer a singular course, above all others, in pursuit of right action regarding gendered practices in disciplinary discourse, or any other such singular course for that matter.
But, perhaps I am deaf, dumb and blind. Perhaps I am like Helen Keller prior to the crucial breakthrough, before integration, before enlightenment. So, if you are offering the idea that the conceptual blindness from which I (and perhaps others) seem to suffer, and all its consequences presumed to be dysfunctional and that possess, reinforce and convey collectively negative societal value -- that is, by way of illustration, that possessing the property of a colour of any kind (including being colourless) or perhaps even being colour/blind/ precludes being able to perceive or understand any colour, the meaning, connotation or denotation of any colour, or any property whatsoever having to do with any colour or of being colourless -- then clearly I have a very, very long way to go.
I'm intrigued by Keith's comments about translucence, and will need to give this notion more thought.
I also welcome the gentle commentary and suggested direction provided by Mauricio from Colombia. I am not sure I agree with the idea that debate to which he refers precludes consensus or makes it more difficult, or removes value from the discussion of design research or design education. It seems to me that eparating the wheat from the chaff in any exchange, let alone debate, is the lifeblood of collaborative exchange.
Thank you, Teena /et al/, for putting valuable time and energy into this thread. I'm now over my limit for contributions and so will bow out.
I'm looking forward to supporting and learning from the ongoing project.
Perhaps into a following decade, yes?
Best wishes to all,
Bob Este, Ph.D / VectorRDI Ltd. / Cochrane, Alberta, Canada
On 2017-01-26 8:15 PM, Teena Clerke wrote:
> Bob,
>
> While I (think) I understand your intention ...<snip>
-----------------------------------------------------------------
PhD-Design mailing list <[log in to unmask]> Discussion of PhD studies and related research in Design Subscribe or Unsubscribe at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/phd-design
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
PhD-Design mailing list <[log in to unmask]>
Discussion of PhD studies and related research in Design
Subscribe or Unsubscribe at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/phd-design
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|