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Hi Shemal — Thank you for taking the time to write — It’s good to hear your voice. I can’t help but think of how brave you are, being a brown, queer educator in the Global South. Bravo to you! I understand the apprehension to use your voice, and I support you. I was in India recently and I do believe that some light is being shed on LGBT issues there. I hope it continues to get better and better in that regard. I’m glad you’re in “the group” and I thank you for your kind words and interest. :-) All best, Alex Bitterman > On Mar 23, 2020, at 13:51, Shemal Pandya <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > Dear Alex (and Ana and Ami and everyone), > > While I was aware of the blatant heterosexism in academia (Pinar 1998) and > have often faced it in my extremely short time in it, it is both saddening > and infuriating that people end up being so caught up in their own import. > > While I have been a silent spectator, and most of the times do feel like I > have to be super careful of how I present myself (as a brown, queer > educator from the Global South), I have been unable to articulate my voice > because I felt that a) I might sound too naive, b)that I might be > uninformed or offend someone, or c) have to continuously justify my own > inexperience and (Indian) context. > > As a space, it has been one which is fraught with anxiety, and if not for > the relevance and the occasional spikes of interest, I might have left it > long ago. > > However, the recent voices in this space have me filled with hope, and I do > hope that you, and people who are equally silent, start voicing themselves. > > Your paper *is* super interesting for me, and while I, caught up in the > frenzy of conducting classes / protocols for conducting classes online, not > had the time to go through it, it is right here, waiting on my laptop. So > while I may not be "the group," I am in the group. :) > > I also echo Ami (and your reassertion of the same) that not all people are > nice, but the Ursula-Paul confrontation has ignited a fissure of this > space, but the fissure is one full of possibilities. Much has been said on > it, and I was silent for the most part, and I think I owe an apology for > not voicing my opinions when the time was ripe, but I will try my best to > not do the same henceforth. > > So I thank you all wonderful people, who are nudging this space to be more > safe, more brave. > > _______________________________ > > > Pinar, W. F. (1998). Queer Theory in Education. Routledge. > https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410603760 > > > On Mon, Mar 23, 2020 at 7:50 PM Alex Bitterman < > [log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> Dear Ana (and Ami, and everyone), >> >> As a (gay) male and a 20+ year member of this group, I tend to agree with >> you. I’ve always perceived the group operating as a group of self-important >> old(er) men talking about their work, and whenever ANYONE who isn’t in that >> group pipes in, they seem to be treated with disdain or disregard. I >> monitor the group because often, helpful information is passed along that I >> can, in turn, pass along to my students. >> >> In 20+ years, I have made 3 posts (now 4) to the group. My very first one >> (inviting members to contribute to a new academic journal that I was >> struggling to get off the ground) was met with an IMMEDIATE shut down by >> one of the founding members of the group (and a very ‘big’ name in design >> history) who demanded that I be removed from the list. He then went to the >> lengths to send me an e-mail off list to chastise me and warned me that I >> should never post such “spam” to the group again, despite the fact that he >> posted similar messages frequently. >> >> Just this past week, I sent out a note about my most recently published >> article (about gay neighborhoods) and received a few kind direct replies. >> Though as expected, the post got no traction within the group and >> apparently wasn’t philosophical enough to warrant any kind of >> acknowledgement or discussion by “the group.” >> >> Considering that our world faces one of the most grave crises of our >> lives, I find it perplexing that the majority of posts on this board still >> are stuck in the weeds discussing the finer points of design theory rather >> than discussing the glaring issues at hand (that design practice could >> address). >> >> I agree with Ami, below, not all people are nice (especially, perhaps, in >> academia), but I think it’s high time that we begin to pipe up and speak >> about what is of interest, value, and relevance to us as a broader/larger >> group of design thinkers. We can only do that together and if everyone >> plays an equal part. While I certainly acknowledge and understand your >> frustrations, perhaps now, more than ever, during this crisis, we all must >> endeavor to work as a team, despite our differences and personal >> frustrations? >> >> All best, >> >> Alex Bitterman >> >> >> >> >>> On Mar 22, 2020, at 08:19, Heidi Overhill <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >>> >>> Dear Ana, >>> I agree that there is bashing on the list, often of women, but I don't >> believe that such bashing is done only by men. I personally was called >> "naive," by a man, for pointing to a philosophical text as something >> relevant for design. But far more hurtful comments came from a woman, who >> decided that what I had meant as a constructive suggestion was in fact a >> personal attack on her, and responded in kind. >>> My conclusions are: >>> 1) nuance does not convey in email2) not all people are nice. >>> If the list sometimes offers interesting tips or news in addition to >> bashing, you should stay on it. >>> For example, thanks to your post, I was able to follow your link and >> find your short film about the dance of "the third old man." For anyone >> developing a media list for these interesting times, I recommend it. Only >> 13 minutes long. Off-list, I will send you something I wrote about >> choreography and museums. >>> Thanks for the film,Heidi >>> On Saturday, March 21, 2020, 06:26:44 p.m. EDT, Ami Skanberg >> Dahlstedt <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >>> >>> I support the women of the list, but I never had the time to follow up >>> discussions. >>> However, I leave this list now, tired of seeing my female peers being >>> pushed aside as particularities. >>> I am so tired of the mansplaining, and the unwelcoming tone, >>> the neglect of perspectives that for some of you are made 'exotic' and >>> 'different'. >>> >>> Exhausted by this ignorance. >>> ENOUGH. >>> >>> vänliga hälsningar från, best wishes from >>> Ami Skånberg Dahlstedt >>> Lecturer in dance theory >>> Academy of Music and Drama >>> University of Gothenburg >>> < >> https://medarbetarportalen.gu.se/personalkatalog/person?userId=xskaam&departmentId=086120&languageCode=sv >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> < >> https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail >>> >>> Virusfritt. >>> www.avast.com >>> < >> https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail >>> >>> <#m_-5216961130481242695_DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2> >>> >>> Den sön 15 mars 2020 kl 19:32 skrev Ursula Tischner < >> [log in to unmask] >>>> : >>> >>>> Dear all, >>>> >>>> I like to give one more response to this, but honestly, I think this >>>> bilateral discussion between Paul and myself has already taken up too >> much >>>> space in the PhD list and we could move on to more important things… >>>> >>>> First a comment to Francesco Galofaro, who wrote: >>>> >>>>> “Coming to the question, in my opinion the reported discussion is not a >>>> case of "mansplanning". As far as I read, Paul Russel argues his >> position. >>>> His arguments can be wrong, but if the answer is "I have a 40th years >>>> experience in the sector" and "Please read the book I wrote 20 years >> ago", >>>> these can not be considered arguments: frankly speaking, they are a >> plain >>>> form of the fallacy of "arguing from authority" (cf. Jeremy Bentham, The >>>> Book of Fallacies). …. >>>>> >>>>> Caveat: Obviously my position is biased because I read only on the mail >>>> by Paul Russel broadcasted by Ursula Tischner (I have not the whole >>>> conversation). Furthermore, I am a man, I am Italian, and - as I said - >> the >>>> level of conflict on language that politically correctness reached in >> the >>>> Anglo-Saxon environments always puzzles me. Please excuse me if I have >> been >>>> rude.” >>>>> >>>> Well, Francesco, thank you for your comment, but how much value can it >>>> have, if you did not even bother to read through the whole conversation >> but >>>> only refer to what Paul wrote about what I wrote? >>>> >>>> Paul is wrong: I have not insulted him, nor have I accused him of >>>> anything, nor have I claimed anywhere in my posts that I have done >>>> something fantastic new. >>>> >>>> Quick recap: >>>> >>>> My first post was a very short and friendly response to Paul and >> Juergen’s >>>> discussion about “world design responsibility” and “humanity focused >>>> design”. I wrote that it is an interesting discussion and suggested that >>>> they should dive a bit more into the Sustainability Design discussion >> and >>>> literature that started in the early 1990ies because quite a few people >>>> have thought and written and worked on humanitarian and social and >>>> responsible design back then and even before that. I suggested to google >>>> the term and literature because meanwhile there is so much good >> literature >>>> about that out there and I did not have the time to come up with >>>> recommendations. >>>> >>>> Then Paul felt insulted by my proposal “to google” the term and >> literature >>>> and wrote a pretty aggressive response (my perception). >>>> >>>> So, I gave a couple of literature recommendations (Martin Charter’s and >> my >>>> book Sustainable Solutions from 2001 was only one of those, there is >> more) >>>> and explained a bit about how the sustainability design discussion >> emerged >>>> together with the new paradigm of Sustainable Development as defined by >> the >>>> UN. I wrote that with that new paradigm the social, ethical, >> humanitarian >>>> etc. discussion got included in design in addition to ecological and >>>> environmental issues, that had been discussed before under headers like >>>> Ecodesign and Green Design. So in a way you can say, that this was new >> to >>>> the design discussions back then, even though heroes like Papanek had >>>> talked, written and worked on these aspects before that time. And we >> were >>>> quite aware of these heroes and quoted them in our work frequently ;-) >>>> >>>> I recommended that people who join this discussion later should do a >> good >>>> literature research to avoid that they reinvent the wheel. >>>> >>>> In my post to Paul I mentioned experts, I mentioned organizations and >>>> tried to explain that the sustainability design discussion, that started >>>> with the formulation of the new paradigm Sustainable Development by the >> UN, >>>> indeed included all sorts of social, ethical, gender, equality, social >>>> justice and humanitarian aspects. >>>> >>>> Then Paul wrote another pretty aggressive response telling me that I am >>>> wrong, that it is not true that the Sustainable Development Paradigm and >>>> the new Sustainability Design discussions included the focus on the >> social, >>>> ethical, humanity etc. aspects from the beginning on, trying to >> “correct” >>>> what I wrote. His opinion is still that it only started in 2007 with >> Tracy >>>> Bhamra’s and Vicky Lofthouse’ publication Design for Sustainability: A >>>> Practical Approach < >>>> https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7691164-design-for-sustainability> >>>> I am sure, if Tracy or Vicky were part of this list, they would tell us, >>>> that this perception is not true. >>>> >>>> So again, I gave some more links to the proper definition of Sustainable >>>> Development and the Agenda 21, gave some more evidence that indeed the >>>> aspects, Paul wants to see covered, were actually part of the >> Sustainable >>>> Development paradigm and thus discussions around Design for >> Sustainability >>>> early on. >>>> >>>> In addition to what I wrote before I can give you even more evidence, if >>>> you like, e.g. >>>> >>>> Prof. Han Brezet started at TU Delft as Professor in sustainable >>>> product design in 1992 and established the Design for Sustainability >>>> program, where among other subjects they also focused on design for the >>>> base of the pyramid and emerging markets. >>>> The Design Council London has started their RED projects in 1997. >>>> RED was a 'do tank' that developed innovative thinking and practice on >>>> social and economic problems through design innovation. They did >> projects >>>> focusing on preventing ill-health, managing chronic illnesses, reducing >>>> energy use at home, strengthening citizenship, reducing re-offending by >>>> prisoners, and improving learning at school etc. >>>> Design Academy Eindhoven (where I was professor for Ecodesign from >>>> 2002 to 2009) established a master program called “Man & Humanity” in >> 2002 >>>> that I had the pleasure to be the head of together with Birgitta de Voss >>>> for a couple of years. And as the name says, we were very much focusing >> and >>>> working on the socio-cultural, ethical and humanitarian aspects of >> design >>>> alongside with the environmental and economic. >>>> >>>> I could go on, but how much evidence do you need to convince somebody, >> who >>>> does not want to be convinced? >>>> >>>> I can give all of this evidence because I had the great pleasure to be >>>> part of a wonderful group of designers (and other professionals) that >> had >>>> shared these discussions and activities from the early 1990ies on. So >>>> obviously I know this for sure, because it is my authentic experience. >>>> There is no element of authoritarian power play, I just liked to share >> this >>>> experience with the PhD group. >>>> >>>> But still, Paul does not believe it and insists on telling me that he is >>>> right and I am / my experience is wrong, really? >>>> >>>> The Merriam-Webster definition of Mansplaining is as follows: >>>> “Mansplaining is, at its core, a very specific thing. It's what occurs >> when >>>> a man talks condescendingly to someone (especially a woman) about >> something >>>> he has incomplete knowledge of, with the mistaken assumption that he >> knows >>>> more about it than the person he's talking to does.” >>>> >>>> And I think this is exactly what Paul did and obviously still does. In a >>>> private mail to me, Paul even admitted that he has a good overview about >>>> the literature in Design for Development and the related UN >> documentation >>>> and approach to Humanitarian Development, but not that much knowledge in >>>> the sustainable design literature. But still he likes to tell me that he >>>> knows better??? >>>> >>>> But it is ok. Let’s move on. >>>> >>>> Sorry for the long post. And a big thank you to Britta, Veronica and >>>> Milena for their supporting messages. >>>> >>>> All the best >>>> >>>> Ursula Tischner >>>> >>>> ----------------------------------------------------------------- >>>> 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 >>>> ----------------------------------------------------------------- >>>> >>> >>> < >> https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail >>> >>> Virusfritt. >>> www.avast.com >>> < >> https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail >>> >>> <#m_-5216961130481242695_DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2> >>> >>> >>> ----------------------------------------------------------------- >>> 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 >>> ----------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> >> >> ----------------------------------------------------------------- >> 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 >> ----------------------------------------------------------------- >> > > > -- > Best, > Shemal > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > 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 -----------------------------------------------------------------