Abstract
Teaching the history of a discipline is a way of gradually introducing students to a phylogenetic path that
presents its foundations, relationships and implications from its origins to the present day. In the context
of the history of more practice-oriented disciplines and design in particular, editorial production is scarce.
Considering the sub-sectors of graphic design and digital communication, they represent a niche
compared to publications in the field. However, they serve as a critical observation tool for identifying
specific patterns, such as the lack of gender balance and inclusion in the educational environment. History
provides insight into the evolution of a knowledge field, showcasing its milestones, paradigm shifts, new
ideas, discoveries, and perspectives. Additionally, it shows the contributions of prominent figures, often
portrayed as heroes and stars, i.e. the canon. However, this individualistic narrative can overshadow or
erase the nuances of pioneering minority phenomena and antecedents, limiting historical understanding.
In particular, there is an evident imbalance between the presence of female students (over 60% of the
entire student population) who enrol, graduate, and then work in the field of design disciplines and the
female personalities mentioned in books and manuals. Furthermore, there is a notable discrepancy in the
gender gap of professors across different generations, which in turn influences the culture and context of
teaching. The research here presented and discussed forms part of a broader investigation into the
historicisation of graphic and digital design in the Italian scenario, with particular reference to historical and
professional developments. The research maps the design history textbooks, focusing on the field of
graphic design and visual communication, adopted in the history classes of the Bachelor and Master
degree courses in Design. It analyses them according to two main parameters: the presence of female
protagonists to assess the frequency (1) and the number of times the same woman is mentioned in several
books (2), namely the recurrence. The results are discussed in order to highlight the limitations and
contradictions of an educational system that, on the one hand, remains profoundly exclusionary. On the
other hand, it draws attention to critical aspects of historiographic construction and the traditional canon.