This lecture is a historical deep dive into the Iranian feminist periodical Zaban-e Zanan and the ongoing artistic research project Zaban.
Zaban-e Zanan was one of the first periodicals founded and published by a woman in Iran. Founded June 18, 1919, in Isfahan, Iran, by Sadique Dowlatabadi, Zaban-e Zanan raised the issue of women’s rights through articles written By women For women. It was most likely the first in Southwest Asia to use the word Zan (woman) in the title. Sadique Dowlatabadi belonged to the Iranian Suffragette movement, and she advocated for equal cultural rights between women and men. Her purpose with Zaban-e Zanan, which was published at intervals between 1919 and 1945, was education and teaching.
The ongoing project Zaban examines the fonts and ornaments used in the periodical, as well as Dowlatabadi’s handwriting. This, together with relevant contemporary references, forms the basis for the development of a font family with associated ornaments.
In this lecture, graphic designer and educator Parasto Backman gives a brief background about Zaban-e Zanan and the artistic research project Zaban, which she conducts in collaboration with type designer Naïma Ben Ayed.
Event language: English with close-captions.
Parasto Backman (she/her) is a graphic designer and educator working with projects across art, culture, and business. Her commitment lies particularly in highlighting design as a complex and versatile practice with great opportunities and responsibilities. Parasto is also a member of the board at Konstnärsnämnden (The Swedish Art Grants Committee) and Type Directors Club.
This special event is free of charge. Register below for the whole series, or sign up for this event only in autumn.
REGISTER HEREBy registering for this lecture series, you not only enter a transnational community centered around design politics, but you also support the work of commissioning, editing, and publishing original counter-narratives, and help to finance our free online learning program.
The lecture series is accessible through a sliding-scale price structure:
- Solidarity: CHF 290
- Standard: CHF 150
- Student: CHF 70
- Reduced Student: CHF 35
For students with limited finances—particularly those self-identifying as marginalized, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, chronically ill, or disabled—we offer the Reduced Student price. We trust your honesty and do not require proof of self-identification for enrollment.
For institutions keen on facilitating their students’ and staff’s participation (and other bigger groups), we also provide discounted passes. Please contact learning@futuress.org along with the number of participating students and staff, and we would be happy to tailor an offer to your specific needs.
This event is part of the Pressing Issues: Printing Futures, Publishing Resistance paid online series of lectures, tutorials, and roundtable conversations discussing the politics of translating, archiving, and publishing.
Oct 9, 2025 | 6 pm CEST | Lecture
Iranian Feminist Publishing Highlighted: The History of the Periodical Zaban-E Zanan and Insight Into the Ongoing Project Zaban
with Parasto Backman (she/her), Designer & Educator
Oct 30, 2025 | 6 pm CEST | Tutorial
Starting a Publishing House: Not Non-profit but Profit-for-Survival
with Be Oakley (they/them) from GenderFail publishing platform
Nov 6, 2025 | 6 pm CET | Lecture
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with the Chimurenga Pan-African publishing platform
Nov 20, 2025 | 6 pm CET | Lecture
The Politics of Translation: Beyond Text and Into Images
with Jazael Olguín Zapata (he/him) from Cooperativa Cráter Invertido
Dec 4, 2025 | 6 pm CET | Lecture
Access Questions, Intra-dependence, and Indigenous Feminist Print Publishing
with Kaiya Waerea (he/they) from Sticky Fingers Publishing
Dec 18, 2025 | 6 pm CET | Lecture
I Love Reading Women: The Making of the Feminist Community-Run Sister Library
with aqui Thami from Sister Library
Jan 8, 2026 | 6 pm CET | Lecture
Materiality of ♀ and ♀♀ Publications in Belgian Archives: An Ode to Messy Bindings
with Lissa Choukrane (she/her), independent researcher
and Loraine Furter (she/her), designer & researcher
Jan 22, 2026 | 6 pm CET | Roundtable conversation
The Politics of Language: Anti-Ableist Narrative and Queer Arab Slang
with Ly Xīnzhèn Zhǎngsūn Brown (they/them) – Advocate, Organizer, Strategist, Scholar & Writer
and Marwan Kaabour (he/him) – Graphic Designer, Artist & Writer
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