Narrating female labour experience: construction of the professional biography by omitting discriminating practices Valerija Barada Department of Sociology, Zadar The 3rd International Conference on Re-Thinking Humanities and Social Sciences The Politics of Memory, Zadar,

topic the process of narrating professional biography of/by female designers in Croatia the process of narrating professional biography of/by female designers in Croatia empirical data, field research empirical data, field research 2010 (ZG, RI, OS, ZD, ST, DU) 2010 (ZG, RI, OS, ZD, ST, DU) 36 interviews, from 1,5 to 2 hrs 36 interviews, from 1,5 to 2 hrs onwards refreshed onwards refreshed

design profession in Croatia sociological definition of PROFESSION sociological definition of PROFESSION why design?  good indicator why design?  good indicator why women?  “new” to the profession why women?  “new” to the profession narrative interview narrative interview abductive research strategy abductive research strategy feminist standpoint (D. Smith) feminist standpoint (D. Smith) everydaylife ↔ ruling relations of gender and labour ↔ social structure everydaylife ↔ ruling relations of gender and labour ↔ social structure institutional processes, not populations institutional processes, not populations

entering to the profession verification of the way how to “become a designer, what it means to be a designer, expected personal and professional behaviour”… verification of the way how to “become a designer, what it means to be a designer, expected personal and professional behaviour”… professional project (Anne Witz): professional project (Anne Witz): 1. exclusionary strategy 2. inclusionary strategy 3. demarcationary strategy 4. dual closure strategy

the usual story 1. I have chosen my education, I was always creative 2. I got my first job at the university 3. I worked hard and have succeeded 4. I love design, but do not see myself in this profession in the future – I want out

1. educational choice choice of highschool choice of highschool choice of university choice of university discriminating practice*: discriminating practice*: lower voice (!) lower voice (!) this profession is / is not for women this profession is / is not for women  all that hinders verification process *  all that hinders verification process

2. first job got it through a professor (usually all male) got it through a professor (usually all male) discriminating practice discriminating practice pro bono pro bono for cultural sector, civil sector or selfinitiated for cultural sector, civil sector or selfinitiated do not open their own business do not open their own business

3. professional success working hard working hard discriminating practice discriminating practice not easy to charge for own work not easy to charge for own work working for “softer” sectors working for “softer” sectors not owning big companies (big money is not for women) not owning big companies (big money is not for women) realistic about own abilities realistic about own abilities sexism  it’s their problem sexism  it’s their problem long process of establishing trust with clients long process of establishing trust with clients not differentiating male-female style, but all “softer” works defined as female not differentiating male-female style, but all “softer” works defined as female design as feminised profession  lower power, women prominent in cultural sector design as feminised profession  lower power, women prominent in cultural sector

4. future plans I want out I want out discriminating practice discriminating practice do not see themselves in design* do not see themselves in design* return to home, to the private  trap of creative work return to home, to the private  trap of creative work to do something small, just for me to do something small, just for me

conclusion participating in professional project (dual closure) requires coherent story participating in professional project (dual closure) requires coherent story no room for recognizing dicriminating practices, or giving them much interpretative space no room for recognizing dicriminating practices, or giving them much interpretative space since design is undergoing dual closure and is letting women in, dicriminating practices are seen as individual case, not as social pattern or difference in power since design is undergoing dual closure and is letting women in, dicriminating practices are seen as individual case, not as social pattern or difference in power therefore, female designers their profession see as egalitarian, unlike broader society therefore, female designers their profession see as egalitarian, unlike broader society

Narrating female labour experience: construction of the professional biography by omitting discriminating practices Valerija Barada Department of Sociology, Zadar