Women, Design and Democracy. What Future for the Mediterranean?

This article is published in Quaderns de la Mediterranea, the twice yearly journal edited by IEmed (European Institute of the Mediterranean) focuses on intercultural and interdisciplinary dialogue and the reality of Mediterranean societies. Women are the centre of the issue #18/19, published in cooperation with Anna Lind Foundation. Under the headings Creativity and Stereotypes, Change and Economic Development and Valuing Women’s Voices for Democracy, the number counts with thirty expert voices offering different approaches and discuss about creativity and stereotypes; challenges and development; participation and democracy. The article of Marinella Ferrara, is about creativity and design and the role of women in the cultural and economic development. Design can detect social changes and translate them into a project. It is an optimum instrument for driving forward artistic and cultural trends aimed at the democratization of society. And it is, above all, female designers who, with their sensibility for the social aspects of development, rise up as notable vanguard figures. Hence the importance of promoting “Mediterranean design” through encouraging lines of microcredit and rapid manufacturing technologies.