Naslov
Interviewing women or interviewing designers: How to research gendered position in the profession of visual communication design

Autori
Barada, Valerija

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, neobjavljeni rad, znanstveni

Skup
Qualitative Transitions: Issues of Methodology in Central and South-East European Sociologies

Mjesto i datum
Rijeka, Hrvatska, 19.11.2010. - 21.11.2010

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
interviews ; methodology ; women ; professions

Sažetak
This paper aims to explore theoretical and methodological ramifications of investigating women’s experience of work in a profession of visual communication design. Deriving from the well-known essay of Ann Oakley “Interviewing women: a contradiction in terms?” it is argued that not only gender, but also professional position defines the interviewing process. A. Oakley criticizes the conventional sociological approach to interviewing in methodological textbooks defining that it is the interviewer who sets the relationship with interviewee as hierarchical, and that see the interviewee only as resource of data. In interviewing women A. Oakley employed different approach showing that more reciprocal and intimate interviewing rapport should not be avoided, and moreover that it is required in interviewing from a feminist standpoint. Although issues raised by A. Oakley might be seen as overcome by the consequent and more contemporary methodology textbooks and research approaches, her points are still insightful to the core issues of interviewing, and especially interviewing women. In the research process that is reported here, the interviews’ gendered profile reveals itself as two-layered: it is defined by the gender of the interviewer and the interviewee, as well as the gender structure of the interviewees’ profession. It will be shown that the issue of trust is constantly negotiated since it varies from more conventional to more female oriented one. While talking about their creative work as a personal product, interviewees establish and seek more intimate rapport from the interviewer demanding the participatory feedback ; on the other hand while talking about possible discrimination experience in professional setting, they are asking for more neutral and detached approach thus controlling the interpretation themselves. The implications of these variations onto theoretical and methodological approach will be discussed on the basis of preliminary results of empirical research of female visual communication designers in Croatia.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Sociologija

POVEZANOST RADA