Pictures say more than numbers. The researchers know that Marie-Pierre Moreau and Sally Pirie. They also know that comics are more accessible. “It’s a language that everyone understands,” says Pirie. So they dedicate a whole time to their research Mini comic book. Moreau took care of the facts, Pirie took care of the art. The topic: care and Care work in the academic Welt.
Art was created based on interviews and a lot of data about students and university employees. And it goes around the world: Cambridge, London, Cork, Hong Kong and now Vienna. Specifically at the WU Viennawhere that Comic was presented by the researchers in an exhibition last Wednesday. “Through our exhibition we noticed that Care and the challenges that come with it are a universal theme,” says Sally Pirie. Regardless of the location, visitors could identify with the images. “The comic also illustrates the emotional side of care work,” says Pirie.
A picture says it all, arouses curiosity and attracts attention, agrees Marie-Pierre Moreau. The perfect tool for a topic that desperately needs attention.
Invisible work
„Care work is incredibly important in our society,” Moreau said during the presentation. “It is what makes our social model possible.” Nevertheless, it is often overlooked, especially in academic areas. The image of a student is still a “carefree bachelor who doesn’t Care tasks That’s what universities align themselves with. But this image does not correspond to reality, says Sally Pirie. Students are also men, women, non-binary people who have children or have to look after relatives.” Depending on your social and financial background, there are further hurdles.
With the comic they want to challenge the status quo. Instead of numbers and statistics, rely on art and colors to illustrate the seriousness of the situation.
Marie-Pierre Moreau had the idea back in 2010. Moreau is a mother and knows how challenging it is to have a family and a career in the world Science to bring under one roof. So she interviewed people with caring responsibilities. The result?
“You are led to believe that it is your problem. But caring work is not a burden and not something that you carry with you like a suitcase.” The basic conditions are lacking Care optionswould make care work more difficult.
In the last pages of the comic, the researchers also address possible solutions: “There is no one-size-fits-all solution that fits everyone. And a top-down solution will not trickle down,” Pirie anticipates. “There needs to be a more versatile approach, which will take a lot of time. But all good things take time.”
More information and the comic book at: theresearchwitch.wordpress.com
