CULTURAL IDENTITY AND DESIGN

The concept of identity is popular at present.It is used in very different contexts, and criticised just as often.It is complex, ambiguous, yet relevant.How can it be made fruitful for design?What aspects are of importance in this process?To what extent might identities be self-chosen, and when are these assigned from the outside instead?What distinguishes design projects with regard to the topic of identity?Questions of identity are being discussed everywhere at the moment.For example, gender identities have come into focus in the last two years on account of the #MeToo debate.The many rape accusations against the film producer Harvey Weinstein triggered a wave of protests that have had an international impact.Many sectors of society have begun to take proper note of discrimination against women.In Switzerland, the women's strike of June 2019 caused a stir.The relevance of this topic can also be seen at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK).More bachelor theses than ever took this as their main theme in 2019.People have also begun to take a wider view of the whole spectrum of gender and sexual orientation, including the