IDE alumnus Noortje Kwakernaak visited two police stations to investigate the role of female officers there. She noticed that crude and sexist humour was regularly used. To address the topic, and perhaps change behaviour, she developed a quartet card game that makes players reflect on these types of jokes.
‘Racism, bullying and sexism within Rotterdam-Centre police’ headlined the Dutch broadcasting organisation NOS this summer. The piece outlined a number of distressing findings from an investigation commissioned by the Nederlandse Politiebond (Dutch Police Union) into the working conditions within the Rotterdam police force. It should be noted that a plan of action is said to be in the works to improve the situation.
For her graduation project, TU Delft | Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering alumnus Noortje Kwakernaak sank her teeth in this topic, with a specific focus on the role of female officers within the police force. “Historically, our society was primarily designed for men,” Noortje learnt from the book ‘Invisible Women’. “According to the book, medication was mainly tested on men because women have more complex hormone levels, for example. Even the layout of cities or cars were modelled mainly using men.’
Fascinating complexity
“And then there is the fascinating complexity of an organisation like the police force. It should essentially be there for everyone, but there are so many differences within the organisation itself, as well as, a monopoly on violence. How do women navigate this environment?”
How do women navigate an environment with so many differences and with a monopoly on violence?
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Noortje Kwakernaak
With the support of Politie voor Iedereen (Police for Everyone), which promotes diversity and inclusion within the Dutch police force, Noortje set out to research the position of female officers within a few police stations. “They gave me a lot of freedom for my research. The condition was complete discretion and anonymity for the officers.”
Noortje went to two police stations, in an urban and a village setting. What is the culture like? What is said when and in what context? What are the roles of men and women? “I went for three days watching, listening, asking questions,” she says.
Despite existing studies on macho behaviour within the police, the situation in both stations was not too bad. “And yet there were some things. For instance, giving and receiving feedback proved difficult. And there was a lot of laughter. The jokes were sometimes crude and sexist, and there was a lot of slapstick humour.”
Humour makes it easier
“So humour seemed like a good way to make certain situations and behaviours discussable. That’s why I developed a quartet card game with jokes I heard during my research. In the game you try to collect as many quartets - four of the same ‘cops’ - as possible. Each time someone has a quartet, a joke by a character in the quartet is discussed.
How does this make the players feel? They get a chance to discuss this within the group. My aim is to get the players to reflect on these jokes and on their own behaviour, possibly discovering new insights. Or to come to a better understanding about how they want to deal with humour as a team.”
Humour seemed like a good way to make certain situations and behaviours discussable. That’s why I developed a quartet card game with jokes I heard during my research.
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Noortje Kwakernaak
“Politie voor Iedereen was enthusiastic about the game, so they gave me an extra three months to try and find a place for my game within the organisation. The responses I got after my first contacts are positive, other policemen and -women find the humour and the situations very recognisable."
