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The Ipazia Scientific Observatory on Gender Issues is delighted to announce the upcoming event on the theme “Art, Culture and Made in Italy: Gender Perspectives in the Contemporary World.” Founded to promote interdisciplinary, comprehensive, and updated research on gender issues, the Ipazia Observatory encourages national and international debate on emerging and challenging gender-related dynamics. This workshop aims to explore the impact of art, culture and the "Made in Italy" industries in strengthening gender equality and social inclusion, underscoring how these areas can contribute to a fair and inclusive future.

The relationship between art, culture and gender has been extensively analyzed in the international literature, focusing on how these fields serve as tools for social change and for representing gender diversity (Paoloni and Cosentino, 2024; Paoloni, 2021). The purpose of this call is to analyze how cultural and artistic representations, as well as the concept of “Made in Italy,” can challenge and reshape traditional gender norms, fostering a deeper understanding of social dynamics and contributing to greater equity and inclusion.

In 2023, the Made in Italy sector demonstrated consistent growth, with art, culture, landscape, gastronomy, design, fashion, and cosmetics representing 29.2% of Italy's GDP (Banca Ifis, 2024). Over time, “Made in Italy” has gained increased significance, representing not only a mark of authenticity and territorial identity but also a key element in shaping the creative and cultural industries from a gender perspective (Belfanti, 2019).

Culturally, Italy’s rich artistic heritage has played a fundamental role, fostering a widespread aesthetic sensibility. Art has contributed to an environment where aesthetics and design are central to sectors like furniture and fashion, closely linked to the country’s diverse landscapes, climates, and cultures, enriching the cultural foundation of Italian society (Bucci et al., 2011). Beyond a label of origin, "Made in Italy" is a symbol of excellence, reflecting the cultural, social, and artistic identity of Italy (Corbellini and Saviolo, 2004). Italian craftsmanship, together with modern technologies, acts as the driving force for the unique production of Made in Italy goods (De Saint Mihiel, 2024).

The United Nations and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development underscore the importance of promoting gender equality through inclusive policies that value women's contributions to cultural and creative industries (UN, 2015). Similarly, the European Union, through initiatives like Creative Europe, has supported inclusivity and diversity in artistic expressions to reduce the gender gap and promote equal opportunities (European Commission, 2020).

In this context, art and culture are seen as vehicles of expression and tools for gender empowerment and for promoting inclusive values that transcend traditional inequalities. Thus, this workshop aims to gather scholars, professionals, and artists to explore how artistic and cultural practices can help build a more equitable society by critically analyzing gender identities within the “Made in Italy” framework and reinforcing respect for unique cultural values (Napolitano and Marino, 2016).

 

The 10th Ipazia Workshop aims to investigate the intersection between art, culture and gender identity, with a focus on how the creative industries can serve as platforms for representing and empowering gender diversity.

We welcome both conceptual and empirical papers, based on qualitative and quantitative approaches, related to knowledge and innovation in promoting gender equality. The main sub-topics of the conference include:

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• The role of female in driving innovation in cultural industries;

• Culture and heritage as tools for gender empowerment;

• Integrating gender diversity in sustainability policies of cultural businesses;

• Impact of gender inclusion paths on performance of economic and cultural, profit and non-profit, organisations;

• Funding and support tools for female entrepreneurship in creative industries;

• Gender equality in internationalization strategies of Made in Italy;

• Female diversity and inclusion in Made in Italy industries;

• Innovation and tradition in the Made in Italy sector;

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Contacts

info@ipaziaobservatory.com

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