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Sometimes cultural policies are dismissed and criticized by some artists and cultural practitioners as banal and other times they are deemed pivotal in the democratization of culture, cultural democracy and the advancement of a democratic society. This ambivalent perception of arts and cultural policies results in many missed opportunities in the production and distribution of cultural and creative expressions like plays and theatre. This paper sets out to answer the question about how cultural policies shape the advancement of cultural and creative expressions in post-independence Zimbabwe. Stephen Joel Chifunyise’s plays and theatre as case examples provide insightful snippets of the role and power of cultural policies in the advancement of the cultural and creative sector and the broader society. This is achieved through a review of academic publications, policy documents and cultural policy texts. The theoretical lens partially deployed here is interpretive policy analysis, which reads the meaning of cultural policies through authored and constructed policy texts such as plays, theatre productions, theatre infrastructure, theatre festivals, publishing houses, book fairs, policy documents and public pronouncements. In addition to the interpretive policy analysis, I also deploy the concept of explicit and implicit cultural policies to comprehensively look at the role of direct cultural policies and indirect cultural policies in the theatre sector in Zimbabwe. The second lens is used to analyse the impact of Zimbabwean implicit and explicit cultural policies on the theatre sector through Chifunyise’s plays and theatre. In critically answering the central question, this paper argues that Zimbabwe has several implicit cultural policies whose effect on the theatre is felt more through constructed cultural policy texts than authored cultural policy texts, and thus, all cultural expressions are inevitably shaped by one cultural policy or the other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines and critically analyses the contributions of a diverse group of cultural actors who participated in focus group sessions organised as part of the public consultation held between 2022 and 2023 by the Catalan government for the development of a future Cultural Rights Law in Catalonia. This study problematises the four key dimensions that were discussed in the focus group sessions. First, it analyses access to culture, highlighting the barriers and facilitators. Second, it explores cultural participation, addressing the complexities of promoting active audiences, individual and collective creation and participation in cultural governance. Third, it investigates the intersectionality of gender in cultural practices, underscoring the challenges faced by women and gender minorities. Finally, it discusses the professionalisation of culture, pointing out the precarious working conditions in the sector. The article provides evidence of the integration of cultural rights into policies, reflecting on the socio-political contexts that shape them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecosystem system services framework has potential to help clarify wildlife management challenges at the single species scale, but existing methods struggle to capture the complex values and tradeoffs at play in human–wildlife interactions. We worked with community scientists to gather and use stories (n = 150) as a source of ecosystem services data about living alongside eastern coyotes (Canis latrans var) in rural Vermont, United States. Our a priori ecosystem service assessment showed that human–coyote interactions can have simultaneous positive and negative human well‐being impacts at both the sample scale and for individual interviewees. Our research identified emergent themes that lent insight into how interviewees justified different kinds of relationships with coyotes. We applied a tradeoffs lens to evaluate three policy options based on their potential to mitigate ecosystem disservices and maximize ecosystem services from human–coyote interactions. We found that ecosystem services assessment rooted in a dataset of stories revealed policy‐relevant understanding of value conflicts and alignments at the sample scale without overshadowing the nuances of individual interviewees' experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on Chinese animation repeatedly mention the Shanghai Animation Film Studio's (SAFS) creative intent of 'serving children'. However, discussions on the specific child audience the studio serves and the studio's service methods and objectives are scarce. This article analyses the studio's creative history and intent from the 1950s to the 1980s, incorporating China's socio-cultural context and policy formulation. The study uses SAFS creators' self-narratives and interviews to argue that, during this period, the studio's creative intent was determined by the Communist Party of China's directives. To adhere to the Party's will, the studio's animation artists overlooked the individuality and diversity of real children and adopted an excessively protective attitude that underestimated children's self-awareness, cognitive abilities and aesthetic appreciation. The studio staff positioned the audience as lacking autonomy, akin to infants unable to resist ideological indoctrination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australian teenagers have grown up with abundant choices in digital screen entertainment including social media, gaming, and global streaming video services such as Netflix. This participatory audience study investigates how, why and to what extent Australian teenagers engage with drama and movies in their daily lives, including Australian stories. The research findings show that Australian teens enjoy watching long-form screen stories on their favourite streaming services and that on-demand delivery is critical to their viewing preferences. Although many remember with affection the Australian drama they watched as children, teens now place a low priority on a screen story being Australian. A sophisticated audience that particularly values diverse and inclusive representation, teens' deprioritising of Australian content – and linear television – has profound implications for policy, for Australian screen production and for public service broadcasters the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the Special Broadcasting Service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the new Australian cultural policy, Revive, released in January 2023 by the Labor Federal Government. The background to the policy development, the policy’s content, and the likely impact of the policy in the longer term, are all explored. This discussion is framed within theoretical understandings of cultural policies, as well as expectations of national cultural policies in other contexts . Consideration is then given to the role partisan politics play in Australia in relation to culture and the arts. In addition, there is an examination of the historical cultural and political framing of Australia in relation to issues around race, culture, and identity, which include referring to the the results of a recent national referendum. Further, the position of the arts sector in a national context is discussed, with particular reference to the funding decline that has afflicted the sector over the past 20 years. Conclusions are then drawn about the place of Revive in contributing to these different conversations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: People's wider culture plays a vital role in both dementia care and policy. This study aims to explore the cultural practice and policy influence around caring for People Living with Dementia (PLWD) in Nepal. Methods: An exploratory qualitative study was designed to investigate dementia care in Nepal. The study comprised four in-depth interviews and four focus group discussions with 29 participants, including family members, health care professionals, and other stakeholders. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Result: Four major themes (each with several sub-themes) were identified: (1) Cultural practice in dementia care; (2) Impact of policy on the dementia care; (3) Service provision; and (4) Education and training. Conclusion: There is a need for community-based awareness raising on dementia and its care, to sensitise all relevant stakeholders to meet the needs of PLWD. In addition, capacity building of health workforce is needed to enhance their knowledge of and skills in providing culturally appropriate dementia care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a remarkable confidence in Irish culture right now. In the decade to 2024, Ireland successfully emerged from a devastating recession while overseeing significant investment by the State in the arts. A new generation of artists are shaping Irish identity, forged in the heat of a rapidly growing multicultural population, to construct a new national narrative of Ireland. This paper examines the instrumentalisation of artists in Ireland’s nation brand. Based on interviews with renowned Irish artists, the author applies an autoethnographic approach to capture specific insights from these elite expert informants. The study establishes that artists are complicit in their use of the arts as a tool of soft power. It confirms their unique role in building a nation’s reputation, and engaging international publics with the multiplicity of narratives, within an evolving Irish identity. It calls for a conceptual repositioning of artists as critical co-authors in effective nation branding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines e-lending dynamics in Scandinavian public libraries, by exploring the relationship between libraries and publishing houses. We ask how representatives of both fields perceive the public library’s role. Public libraries and publishers have traditionally served different roles in the book sphere: the library as a key cultural policy institution providing access to information and culture, and the publishers as involved in the production of books, operating on commercial premises. This relationship is affected by the change from ownership to licensing of digital book collections, which occurs along with changes on the national book markets. As a theoretical and analytical tool, the study uses the institutional logics perspective to explore the relations between different perceptions. We argue that this relationship can be illuminated through the dynamics of public service logic, market logic and digital logic. The study is empirically based on 26 in-depth interviews interviews with representatives of Danish, Norwegian and Swedish major libraries and trade publishers. Findings indicate that the relationship is nuanced and multifaceted, more than if it relied on a simple opposition between the public and the market. Both libraries and publishers share a common understanding of public service and market logics; however, they differ in perceptions of library’s role which is amplified by digital logic. The study also indicates that e-lending dynamics are influenced by cultural policies but with different outcomes in the three countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses the role that cultural diplomacy has played as a tool of nation-building for sub-state public entities led by movements representing stateless nations. It exemplifies this with the case of Catalonia's search for recognition in Germany, 1901–1939. The analysis highlights the ambivalence that characterized the actions of the Catalan sub-state public entities, between resigning themselves to their status as regional actors and aspirations for a different political constitution. We argue that this ambivalence was a strategy to maximize the effectiveness of their cultural diplomacy policies considering state and international contexts reluctant to recognize sub-state entities as political actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Against a backdrop of growing interest in localized cultural policy, this article explores the example of Oldham, an "overshadowed" town (Pike et al., 2016) situated on the edge of the Northern English city of Manchester (United Kingdom). While urban planning discourse has acknowledged the impact of large cities on neighboring satellite areas, finding that regeneration projects can result in a weak sense of place for [such] secondary towns (Turok, 2009), few have considered the extent to which arts organizations in secondary towns are able to sustain their work and create their own narratives. Drawing from the thought of Pierre Bourdieu and from theories of institutional logics, I adopt a relational approach to exploring the ways in which organizations within the local cultural ecology understand their operating environment. Although cultural policy endeavors to use local arts infrastructure to build local capacity, this case study reveals a situation in which those organizations in satellite towns remain unable to gain the status enjoyed by their metropolitan counterparts. Further, it examples a field that remains highly institutionalized, hierarchical, and increasingly professionalized. Institutional arrangements result in organizations in the satellite-town depending upon its city neighbor for crucial legitimating capitals. Just as stories of class reproduce patterns of inequality, this situation is similarly true for organizations. Organizations are found to be complicit in the production and reproduction of inequalities within the institutional field, with dominant organizations appearing more able to access legitimizing capital than others. Ultimately, I argue that organizations in satellite towns are heavily reliant on symbolic resources supplied by the institutional fields of greater scope in which they are nested. Organizations are required to harness the support of elite individuals and dominant "world-maker" organizations, which lie beyond their immediate local context to secure legitimacy for themselves and their activities. This situation I term "satellite dependency." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, cultural policymaking frequently came to the fore in media debates about the impact of the crisis and measures to alleviate it. In this article, we present evidence of how newspaper coverage of the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) identified and framed competing perceptions of the relative utility of policymaking in this context, while also problematising familiar assumptions about the CCIs among policymakers, journalists and (arguably) the public. Specifically, we analysed British news and editorial items (n.4,162) published from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020. It offers a novel investigation into the ways in which media and policy rhetoric overlap, interact and influence each other. In doing so, this article contributes a unique perspective to the study and practice of cultural policy, bringing to light the typically underexplored role of the news media in shaping the narratives driving cultural policy deliberation and action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines how the sociocultural role of South Korean public broadcasting is affected by neoliberal cultural policies that situate the Korean Wave at the forefront. Drawing on Fairclough's critical discourse analysis (CDA), this study examines 20 New Year's addresses from two public broadcasters and two associated government institutions, identifying the discursive construction of public broadcasters' roles during the tenures of five governments. In particular, the study illuminates how the neoliberal discursive construction of the media has increasingly reduced public broadcasters to mere economic entities, envisioning the media solely as a source of profit in a globalized media landscape. Providing empirical support, this research suggests that the social imaginary of the Korean Wave and its accompanying media policies have dwarfed the social roles of public broadcasters by linking culture to the nation's supremacy and economic prosperity, thereby reinforcing neoliberal logic and beliefs against public values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Opuntia Brava is the property of Universidad de Ciencias Pedagogicas de Las Tunas, Centro de Documentacion e Informacion Pedagogica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The People's Republic of Poland, an undemocratic state that existed from 1947 to 1989, was politically dependent on the Soviet Union. It relied on its cultural policy of heavily rationing access to products made in capitalist countries; few exceptions were made to this policy, but of them, Italian director and filmmaker Michelangelo Antonioni's filmography was one of the most important, even though not all of his films were released to the Polish public until 1989. This article focuses on the critical reception of Michelangelo Antonioni's 'tetralogy of alienation' in the People's Republic of Poland during the 1960s and 1970s. Antonioni's tetralogy comprises L'avventura (The Adventure), La notte (The Night), L'eclisse (The Eclipse) and Deserto Rosso (Red Desert). In this article, I examine how Polish critics grappled with the differences between the cinematic world depicted in these films and the realities of the 'people's democracy' in Poland. I focus on the cultural reception of these films, utilizing reviews published in film magazines, cultural magazines and the daily press from the period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scoping review paper explores skills gaps for graduates in creative industries as identified and discussed in global industrial and education contexts. Adopting the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) system, our review presents findings from 63 texts published from 2007 to 2023 that were located via five databases. These findings suggest that the top-ranked hard skills gaps for graduates are digital or related skills, such as those related to marketing and data analysis. The top-ranked soft skills are communication and collaboration, both of which are cited more frequently than any hard skill gap and appear key for graduate employability. Factors identified as contributing to these skills gaps include higher education offerings, industry needs and cultural policy. These contributing factors are correlated to the rise of creative industries, shifting values in cultural sectors, change in governments in western influenced cultures and digital transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nearly half of all countries have official religions or give preference to specific religious traditions. Most countries with an official religion are majority Muslim; however, most of those with a preference for particular religious traditions are majority Christian. This paper considers empirical data related to constitutional references to specific religions as a framework for a discussion of the comparative constitutional histories of Turkey and the Republic of Ireland. Both moved from systems that preferred their majority religions to ostensive neutrality. This analysis reinforces the importance of religion in law and policy regardless of cultural context and constitutional choices. Constitutional drafters have established a number of approaches to the treatment of religion, including freedom of religion, establishment of religion, separation of religion and state, neutrality, official religion, conformity, repugnancy, and sources of law/legislation. Although these linguistic choices are significant, they may not result in consistent practices across jurisdictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Western Balkan region has faced challenges stemming from the dissolution of the socialist Yugoslavia and ongoing ethnic-nationalistic tensions. Cultural heritage has been a central point of dispute. Despite nominally implementing the same UNESCO heritage safeguarding policy framework, ICH systems in the Republic of Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina were found to differ significantly. Examining and contrasting ICH systems with comparative critique in mind, we searched for a common model for regional cultural policies. ICH safeguarding systems in the three countries were also analysed according to additional guidelines for inventorying ICH that were provided by UNESCO in 2021, in order to help streamline regional heritage management towards the implementation of sustainable development goals. Our research shows that all three states struggle with inclusivity, but in different ways. Comparative implications for preventing the renewal of heritage-based conflicts in postconflict societies are considered and the regional policy model proposed for further testing.1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although flexible working has expanded rapidly, especially during the pandemic, biased views against flexible workers – namely, flexibility stigma - are still prevalent and returning. Flexibility stigma hinders worker's take up of flexible working arrangements and can make flexible working arrangements result in negative outcomes for worker's well-being and productivity. This study examines how national cultural and policy contexts shape flexibility stigma levels within a country. We use a multilevel approach using the Eurobarometer dataset of 2018, covering 28 European countries, matched with national level aggregate data on policy and culture. Results show that in countries with a more work-life balance work culture and egalitarian gender norms, we see less prevalence of flexibility stigma. Similarly, in countries with generous family-friendly policies, workers are less likely to have negative perception towards flexible working. Finally, stronger bargaining positions of workers, may it be through stronger union power or through better labour market conditions, helps remove stigmatised views around workers who use flexible working arrangements. This study evidences the importance of contexts that shape views around flexible working, to help us better understand policy changes needed to ensure better flexible working practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the challenges of applying for and receiving music funding for Canadian music workers identifying as Indigenous, Black, or as a person of colour (IBPOC). Using survey data from the Canadian Live Music Association we find evidence of a racialized gap in music funding. Interviews with IBPOC music workers reveal the causes and consequences of the racial funding gap: there are limitations to worker agency wrought by gaps in knowledge of funding opportunities; perceived bias in favour of majority White-racialized music genres; and bureaucratic contradictions in funding applications that disadvantage IBPOC applicants. We argue that the conceptual tenets of racialized organizations and theories of racial inequality in cultural policy and creative organizations explain why gaps in funding persist, despite stated efforts to the contrary. We conclude by outlining a model of how music funding organizations exemplify racializing processes and offer policy implications for scholars and practitioners of arts funding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the complex historical narrative surrounding the practice of finger severing (danji 斷指) in early Joseon Korea, focusing on its unique origins and widespread dissemination, and the multifaceted discourse it generated among the ruling elite. By tracing finger severing from its emergence during the reign of King Taejong to its proliferation in the 16th century, this research illuminates the interplay between institutional factors, societal customs, and cultural perceptions that shaped its evolution. This study deviates from the conventional approach of explaining Joseon’s cultural edification solely through the intentions and actions of the government and the royal court. Instead, it explores how folk customs were discovered and then intentionally spread by the government, thereby providing a more comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of Confucianization in Joseon Korea. The dissemination of finger severing highlights the success of the early Joseon ruling class’s proactive policies aimed at cultivating and standardizing ethical practices. However, this study also explores the contradictions within the ruling elite’s discourse surrounding finger severing, as well as the discrepancy between the ruling class’s intentions and the actual motivations driving the civilian populace’s engagement in the practice. The proliferation of finger severing in early Joseon Korea represents both the triumph of the state’s cultural cultivation policies and the unexpected outcomes of the complex interplay of institutional efforts, societal customs, and divergent perceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transformations in cities since the beginning of the industrial revolution are one of the main threats to safeguarding urban heritage. These circumstances have demanded the elaboration of strategies and new approaches to achieve the sustainable development of cultural heritage. In this respect, in recent decades, the link between cultural heritage and the different dimensions of sustainability has been at the centre of the heritage agenda of national and international organisations and researchers from all over the world. Of the various dimensions of sustainability identified, the sociocultural dimension has the most significant impact on safeguarding cultural heritage. In the approach to cultural heritage from the perspective of sustainability, evaluation processes through the use of indicators have broad advantages for formulating, analysing and monitoring cultural policies and management decision-making processes. In this context, a broad spectrum of proposals for sustainability indicators is applied from different approaches to various objects and contexts. However, in general, it is observed that most of the proposals formulate quantitative indicators with a substantial incidence of the economic and environmental dimensions, presenting limitations to address more sensitive aspects of cultural heritage, such as valuations and perceptions, which are not easily quantifiable due to their subjective nature. Therefore, this paper presents a methodological proposal for evaluating the sociocultural sustainability of urban heritage in medium-sized cities through a set of indicators formulated from a qualitative approach designed and tested in a medium-sized city in Argentina (Olavarria). The proposed methodology makes it possible to measure the progress and setbacks of heritage in pursuit of sustainability in the medium term. In addition, it facilitates the integration of evaluations from different disciplines. It incorporates the viewpoint of the main actors in heritage and heritage management, as well as making it possible to diagnose the situation of urban heritage in the areas of study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to make realize out an appraisal to public culture policies on Municipality on Novo Hamburgo, tracing a panorama between the historical-social contexts, through its political-administrative processes, the institutionalization of the Municipal System of Culture and implementation of its components and mechanisms, in order to analyze the participatory management established in the relationship between public power and civil society, from the perspective of co-creation of value. For this purpose, it used exploratory research through literature review, documentary research and qualitative analysis. Among the results it was possible to observe that the collaborative processes demonstrate to be effective ways for the full development of the creative sectors, in order to generate qualified and immutable cultural policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With generative AI disrupting human monopoly of creativity, there is an urgent need to freshly rearticulate cultural labour as a marker of human creativity. I suggest we critically revisit the existing perspectives of cultural labour in cultural policy discussion (unproductive, creative and precarious labour) to reflect on their limitations and implications for our understanding of AI's challenges. Based on this, I argue that we should expand the discussion of precarious labour to elaborate the emerging 'creative precarity'. In particular, I will explore its key dimensions – the increasing uncertainty in terms of cultural workers' creative roles, rights and identity, and audience responses – and their policy implications. At the core of potential policy response to and our research into creative precarity, there are fundamental questions of how we redefine cultural work in the time of AI, what new meanings we can attach to cultural labour, what constitutes the human-ness in human creativity and why it crucially matters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus is the museum development in Central Asia from 1991–2022, with the intent to identify the current trends in the development of museums, and to explore issues of museum cooperation in these countries. The main research method was historical periodization. This article includes information on the development of museums in five countries since 1991, the change of cultural policy with independence, general problems of museums, differences in the cultural policy of Central Asian countries, statistics on the number of museums, and funding issues related to museums in the region. The central thesis asserts that museums play a central role in cultural and historical conversations in Central Asia, emphasising their significance as cultural archives and vibrant hubs for education, interaction, and the development of identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Arqueologia is the property of Revista de Arqueologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The comparative study of cultural policies in the Arab region remains a relatively underexplored domain, particularly in how these policies influence nation branding and nation-building efforts. This exploratory study seeks to contribute to this nascent field by adopting a comparative lens to examine the cultural policies of three Arab nations: the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Through a document analysis of key policies from these countries, this research unveils the intricate ways cultural strategies are employed to articulate and disseminate national, ethical and political ideologies. The article articulates how each country's approach to cultural policy—commodification in the UAE, securitisation in Egypt and religionisation in Saudi Arabia—reflects and is shaped by unique local, regional and global power dynamics. By contextualising these policies within broader frameworks of market forces, security concerns and religious influences, the study offers insights into the complex interplay between cultural policymaking and nation branding in the Arab world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The twinning model has been used to develop a wide array of political, economic and cultural relationships that connect communities and institutions in the United Kingdom with counterparts overseas. However, where local governments were once among the most ardent promoters of twinning, years of austerity coupled with changing processes of financial rationalisation, have led many councils to question the value of these relationships. Today, fewer British local authorities are taking up new twinnings and some have even been involved in a process of quiet 'untwinning'. This paper takes pause to examine what might be lost with this set of changes—it asks: just what is of value of twinning? Taking a cue from ongoing debates in the field of cultural policy studies, it advocates for a broadening and deepening of the operational concept of 'public value' to better account for the manifold ways that twinning can deliver pro-social benefits to British communities and their partners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fourth Industrial Revolution and the trend of digital transformation have created many changes, brought many values, and also posed many challenges in formulating and perfecting policies on culture in general and policies to develop reading culture in particular. Through the analysis of secondary data, especially current policies on the development of reading culture, analytical research assesses the compatibility between current policies and the requirements of cultural development, people orient creating a learning society in the context of the fourth industrial revolution and the trend of digital transformation; Research to identify and analyze 03 trends in developing policies to develop reading culture in Vietnam, assess the content and inadequacies in current policies, thereby, propose approaches and solutions to policy implications to promote a reading culture to develop towards creating a learning society in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the trend of digital transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The promotion and preservation of cultural legacies, including botanical traditions, are integral components of national identity and development strategies in many countries, particularly in the Global South. However, the manner in which cultural policies address plant-based heritage is not only influenced by contemporary priorities but also deeply rooted in historical contexts, shaped by colonial legacies. A comparative reading of the cultural policies of India and Nigeria, this research investigates the impact of colonial history on plant-based cultural heritage policies in the Global South. The study pulls from the Postcolonial and Critical Heritage Studies frameworks, to argue that the formulation and implementation of cultural policies on botanical plant heritage have been greatly impacted by colonial legacies. The result is the disparities in conservation endeavours and relegation of autochthonous knowledge. By shedding light on the on-going effects of colonialism on cultural practices and environmental conservation in the Global South, this research offers insights for policymakers, culture and heritage practitioners, and scholars seeking to address the issues around colonial legacies in cultural heritage management. It also seeks to provoke discourses on equitable and sustainable approaches to plant-based heritage preservation.

Teaching and learning cultural policy are not as open as the research practice emphasising inclusiveness and equal participation suggest. Existing references and theoretical frameworks are mostly from the Global North, even when subaltern and peripheral phenomena are explored. In mainstreaming subaltern epistemic perspectives, the first step demands emancipation of subalterns, enabling them to gain self-confidence in their own capacities. Therefore, a classroom is not about the transfer of knowledge or the development of skills but about 'decolonising minds'. Through an auto-ethnographic approach, different classroom experiences that questioned situations of subalternity and exclusion were documented and further explored. This paper refers to three cases of 'tears in the classroom' when the students (Kurd from Iran; working-class student in the post-industrial academic world, and Palestinian from Old Jerusalem), realising that their experiences and values are not part of the class body of knowledge, felt double-excluded. I question how subaltern knowledge might enter the academic world of cultural policy and how it will be used in more and more multicultural classrooms. Also, if the voice is given to subaltern and peripheral social locations, what might guarantee that the knowledge coming from there would mean 'thinking from a subaltern epistemic location'? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent use of public libraries as political symbols by the radical right in their challenge of the established consensus in Swedish cultural policy is part of an ongoing (re)politicization of the field of cultural policy. This paper frames this development as part of a post-political condition of Swedish cultural and library policy. Through an analysis of previous research, policy, and policy debates, a conceptual understanding of the post-political condition is offered. The paper also provides an analysis with empirical examples of how this condition unfolds in librarians' accounts of everyday public library practices. This composite analysis furthers our understanding of the enactment of Swedish cultural and library policy and contributes to a broader discussion of the current challenges facing these policy fields following the rise of the radical right in several countries. The findings point to a need for more nuanced and ideological discussions concerning the relationship between politics and culture and where public libraries are situated between autonomy and democracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public libraries play a unique role in preserving, maintaining, and distributing cultural capital freely. Currently, public libraries are said to be undergoing a change: from public spheres offering culture selected and curated by legitimated experts, libraries are seen to have shifted more towards social hubs. However, little is known about how potential library users perceive these alleged changes. In this article, we explore which topics emerge in online conversations about Oodi, Helsinki's new central library, and what kinds of symbolic boundaries are drawn in them. Our data consist of tweets and comments on newspaper articles (N = 2,342). Using structural topic modelling and a qualitative thematic analysis, we identify eight different topics that appear to be highly polarised. We interpret the online conversations on Oodi as negotiations of the ownership of publicly funded culture and cultural capital. These negotiations are organised around two opposing poles: tolerant, cosmopolitan views versus traditional, conservative attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heritage processes are today increasingly entangled with multiple forms and discourses of creativity. Connections between creativity and heritage form part of a new consensual authorised discourse, where creativity and (heritage) entrepreneurship are projected as mutually beneficial in a win-win scenario, while co-existing with ever-more visible practices of destruction and loss. Challenging the celebratory narrative, the article unpacks the less visible political, economic, cultural and social processes underpinning the heritage–creativity nexus. This is necessary in order to confront and analyse the domination of space, place and history in the context of depoliticised neoliberal forms of governance. Juxtaposing the contradictions of authorised heritage discourse within the hegemonic politics and profitability in the neoliberal creative economy, we propose a critical anthropological approach centred around the decreativity of contemporary practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 pandemic was expected to be particularly detrimental for performing artists, given the nature of their work. The scarce literature on the precarity experiences of performers following the COVID-19 pandemic has predominantly focused on Western and Central Europe. The present article contributes to the literature by investigating the experience of Romanian performers before and after the COVID-19 outbreak through in-depth semi-structured interviews. Romania is a valuable case study, given its peculiarities in terms of cultural policy. After the fall of communism, cultural policy was characterised by a constant dominant strategic focus on (mostly religious) heritage, while the cultural funding model is particularly detrimental to smaller independent artists and organisations. By focusing on it, the study shows that research on precarity needs to be embedded in the local (cultural) policy context, as it shapes the precarity experiences of artists. Without a proper understanding of the policy context, research will likely fail to offer effective policy recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper examines the influence of the Heritage Transfer of Development Rights (HTDR) among heritage property owners and explores how its successful implementation has been hampered based on the study of two indicators—policy awareness and implementation efficiency—which are vital for generating initial interest among stakeholders and leading them to use the policy. The HTDR policy at Ahmedabad, introduced in 2015 as an incentive program supporting the conservation of privately owned properties within the old city of Ahmedabad, has failed to generate much interest among the local community. As per the documents available online on the website of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, in the last 9 years, only 81 properties with TDR certificates. It is thus very pertinent to identify the reasons for its lack of influence and acceptance. In this study, a mixed method was adopted involving a closed-ended survey and semi structured interviews. The inferences are based on the responses gathered from heritage property owners currently living in heritage properties and those living elsewhere. The heritage properties were identified based on a random sampling method from the listed heritage properties spread across the 13 wards of the walled city. Based on the research findings, although most property owners are aware of the HTDR policy and find it an essential tool for conserving heritage in Ahmedabad, awareness of the whole mechanism and application process is significantly limited. The implementation of the HTDR policy is highly inefficient, and more awareness must be generated among owners. Moreover, more training or technical assistance needs to be provided to them to help them access the incentive program. The lack of a proper and comprehensible policy brief or document further hinders the situation. Overall, property owners are not completely satisfied with the HTDR policy and suggest critical revisions, such as reducing the file clearance time, calculating a new TDR amount, and modifying the stages of fund disbursement.

The article examines the main problems of current Russian-Chinese relations in the field of cultural exchanges and higher education in Russia and China. The goal of the research is to identify the historical origins of the formation of cooperation between the two countries in the field of higher education, the possibilities of developing the system of intercultural communications in the education sector of Russia and China in modern conditions. The research methodology includes an analysis of cultural, historical, regional and social components. The main directions of merging the cultural areas of these countries have been compared. The cooperation between the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China at the present stage and the prospects for its development in the field of education have been studied in detail. Close attention is aimed at improving the educational process and the development of intercultural relations. This cooperation has been considered on the example of several universities in Russia and China. The experience of organizing partnerships between universities has been studied through the prism of modern Russian educational practice. Further development prospects have been highlighted, taking into account their needs. As a result of the research, the author has concluded that, despite the constant changes in the modern geopolitical situation in the world, the relations between the countries remain stably diplomatic. It has been noted that the main priority of the Russian foreign policy towards China is the development of diplomacy and mutual communication between the two bordering states; options for solving the tasks set, linking them with Russia's change in its foreign policy course and directing it towards cooperation with China, the leader of East Asian countries have been proposed. These conclusions determine the desire of modern society to achieve mutual understanding in the field of intercultural communications between Russia and China.

A study was conducted on the distribution data of a range of Russian national films from 2004 to September 2023 using machine learning methods, with successful and unsuccessful films and patriotic projects considered separately. The study utilized the ensemble machine learning model HistGradientBoostingClassifier and a sequential fully connected three-layer neural network based on the TensorFlow library, along with basic methods of natural language processing. It was found that patriotic films exhibit distribution characteristics lower than the market average and significantly lag behind successful Russian cinema projects at the box office. The study demonstrated the possibility of accurately predicting film box office receipts, distribution characteristics, as well as selecting project parameters and the composition of its creative team to enhance distribution results and increase the reach of target audiences. The study also illustrated the use of language models, specifically through film annotations, to create effective film content. A conclusion was drawn regarding the need for a set of measures to implement state policy in the field of education, information technology, culture, and art, focusing on the creation of unified media franchises and umbrella brands encompassing films, TV series, computer and online games, music, and other products. The implementation of the research results will enhance the effectiveness of public policy and the return on public and private- public investments in the creative industries sector, positioning cinema and the creative industry as self-sustaining and income-generating sectors of the economy. Leveraging rental data from other markets will facilitate the creation of content with higher demand globally, serving as a soft power and cultural influence tool. The results of the study can aid in project selection and film project development by the Russian Cinema Fund, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, private Russian investors and film studios, as well as authorities and organizations responsible for distributing Russian film content abroad. Проведено исследование массива прокатных данных российских национальных кинофильмов с февраля 2004 по сентябрь 2023 года с применением методов машинного обучения: отдельно рассмотрены успешные и неуспешные в прокате фильмы, проекты патриотической направленности. В исследовании использована ансамблевая модель машинного обучения HistGradientBoostingClassifier и последовательная полносвязная трехслойная нейросеть на основе библиотеки TensorFlow, базовые методы обработки естественного языка. Установлено, что патриотические фильмы имеют прокатные характеристики ниже, чем в среднем по рынку, и существенно отстают от успешных в прокате проектов российского кинематографа. Доказана возможность точного прогнозирования киносборов, прокатных характеристик, а также подбора параметров проекта и состава его творческой группы для улучшения результатов проката и увеличения охвата целевых аудиторий. Показано направление использования языковых моделей (на примере аннотаций кинофильмов) для создания эффективного киноконтента. Сделан вывод о необходимости комплекса мер по реализации государственной политики в сфере образования, информационных технологий, культуры и искусства, которая должна быть основана на создании единых медиафраншиз и «зонтичных брендов», включающих кинофильмы, сериалы, компьютерные, онлайн и настольные игры, музыкальную и иную продукцию. Внедрение результатов исследования повысит эффективность государственной политики, отдачу от государственных и частно-государственных инвестиций в сфере креативных индустрий. Кинематограф и креативная индустрия станут самоокупаемыми и приносящими доход секторами экономики. Использование данных проката других рынков позволит создавать более востребованный за рубежом контент как элемент «мягкой силы» и культурного влияния. Результаты исследования могут использоваться во время отбора и разработки кинопроектов «Фондом кино», Министерством культуры Российской Федерации, частными российскими инвесторами и киностудиями, органами власти и организациями, ответственными за распространение российского киноконтента за рубежом.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating, non-traumatic disease that is common among young adults. Cultural factors, as background factors, can affect how patients adapt and their quality of life. This study aimed to explain the burden of cultural factors on Multiple sclerosis. Methods: This study was conducted with a qualitative approach and conventional content analysis among women with Multiple sclerosis in Mashhad. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with women with MS. Fifteen patients with Multiple sclerosis were selected using purposeful sampling. The Graneheim and Lundman method was used to analyze the collected data. The transferability of the study was evaluated using the Guba and Lincoln criteria. MAXQADA 10 software was used to manage and analyze the data. Results: In explanation of the cultural factors of patients with Multiple sclerosis, one category (cultural tensions) and five subcategories (forced communication with spouse's family, definition of women's role in society, people's behavior, social beliefs and isolation of the patient) were extracted. Conclusion: The results obtained in this study show that female MS patients face various concerns. Overcoming these challenges require a change in the attitude of people in the society towards women with MS, which is important in the context of formulating practical policies to create a suitable culture. Adopted policies should aim to internalize the culture of changing society's views of female MS patients. Therefore, the authors argue that there is a need for cultural policies, followed by the systems implementing these policies to consider the challenges mentioned in this study as a priority for MS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Navigating the complexities of nowadays cultural and political landscapes requires acknowledging the significant role emotions play in shaping cultural policy processes. This paper addresses this crucial issue by conducting a thorough examination of two distinct case studies: the EU Creative Europe programme, focusing on cultural participatory practices within the Audience Development (AD) priority, and the city context of Naples, during its "Season of the Commons" from 2012 to 2021. Through these case studies, this research delves into the intricate interplay between emotions, cultural policy, and political dynamics. Drawing from a multidisciplinary framework encompassing sociology, political science, and cultural studies, the analysis offers both theoretical insights and empirical evidence to define the concept of emotional clusters. These clusters represent a form of social adaptation in times of organic crisis, forming the foundation of novel and often unrecognized spaces of resistance that operate within the spectrum between hegemonic and counter-hegemonic realms. This work aims to critically reflect on the role of emotions in the tension between top-down cultural policymaking and bottomup cultural practices by scrutinizing the connection between emotional clusters and the empirical evolution of cultural policy processes. In doing so, it aspires to provide empirical analysis of emotions as a means to comprehend contemporary decision-making procedures in cultural and policy/political dynamics, while suggesting coordinates for viewing cultural policies as a lively political matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As both artificial intelligence (AI) and creativity are being foregrounded in UK policy agendas, this paper identifies a striking underrepresentation of artists and artistic practice in cultural policy discussing creative innovation. This is despite increasing academic literature, arts-led research, and case studies evidencing a close and dialogic relationship between art and AI. To illustrate this, we first call attention to the impact artistic practice has on AI, against the more common discourse of AI's impact on the arts. We then review UK policy addressing the intersection of the cultural sector, creative industries, and digital sector. Taking this context into account, we argue that artists and artistic practice are currently underrepresented in cultural policy advocating for investment in creative innovation. We suggest this under-acknowledgement is embedded as foundationally as the policy language used to articulate the intersection of arts and technologies, foregrounded by the semantic separation of "Visual arts" and "Artistic creation" from the "Digital Sector" in UK Standard Industrial Classifications. This separation reveals a misalignment of policy and practice that risks underrepresenting the important contribution artists make to the development of AI, and discourse around its role in society. Addressing this misalignment requires a review of policy language used to articulate the intersection of the cultural sector, creative industries, and digital sector in order to more closely align artistic practice with the development of AI. This is an important first step in establishing cultural policy that recognises, prioritises, and invests in artists as the agents of creative innovation that literature and practice evidence them to be. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Islamic-conservative cultural sphere in Turkey has rapidly expanded during the 20-year rule of Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party. Despite popular debates regarding the rise of ‘conservative art’, academic studies have thus far limited their focus to the cultural policies and actions of the ruling power. Consequently, our understanding of cultural producers within this expanding sphere, their aesthetic viewpoints and their position within the broader cultural field remains limited. To address this gap, we employ Bourdieu’s field theory and explore the dynamics of this cultural sphere by conducting in-depth interviews with artists and cultural intermediaries active within Islamic/Islamist art circles. Our findings suggest that the sphere is relatively autonomous from the broader cultural field, characterized by its closed-circuit production and circulation network, specific forms of capital, and exclusive ties to the realm of power. However due to its own tensions and fragmentations, this autonomous sphere does not function as a monolithic bloc of Islamic/conservative forces struggling for legitimacy against an established secularist/Kemalist/leftist bloc, as has been often presumed throughout Turkish history. Our discussion also contributes to the broader Bourdieusian literature by questioning the utility of concepts such as ‘field’ and ‘pillars’ in comprehending contexts with emerging Islamic/conservative cultural sphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses two works of contemporary Australian fiction—Wayne Macauley’s Caravan Story and Julie Koh’s “Inquiry Regarding the Recent Goings-On in the Woods”—and places their depictions of artists under attack in the context of Australian cultural policy history. Despite the surreal hyperviolence contained in these stories, their concerns neatly align with the academic criticisms of cultural policy in their respective eras. Caravan Story, published at the end of the John Howard era, shows how a focus on economic return in lieu of artistic merit can erode the value artists place on themselves and their work. “Inquiry”, published soon after Minister for the Arts George Brandis had significantly reduced available arts funding, represents the drastic effect the funding cuts had on artists and the passionate community response. The texts are further connected by their optimistic endings, contextualised here through an exploration of the artists’ biographies and their struggles to push back against cultural demands of economic success. This article shows how these experimental works of fiction make the case for the intrinsic value of the arts through narratives that reject the economic imperative and in their very constitution as creative works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To what extent does the sense of touch matter in cultural consumption? After an extended period of limited social gathering due to COVID-19, it is vital to assess the importance of physical contacts in cultural events. Focused on the live music industry, our paper addresses the following question: How important is the perception and experience of tactile value amongst festival- and concertgoers? For this purpose, we conducted a survey between September and November 2021 and collected 142 exploitable questionnaires. Our goal was to detect structural relationships between latent variables related to touch through a Structural Equation Model. The latter reveals the relative pleasantness of tactile value experienced by our respondents, with effects on their live music experience. In view of the importance of tactile value in live music events, we formulate several recommendations to practitioners and cultural policy in order to further take into account this variable in decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defining 'radical left' political actors by their challenge to contemporary economic norms, this article draws the example of Die Linke in Germany and analyses explanations for this party's support. Two theories are tested. First, the policy-proximity account, building off the Downsian spatial model and tested with three policy dimensions relating to economics, cultural policy, and migration policy. Second, the populism-based account, which defines this as a conflict between 'the people' versus 'elites'. Using German Longitudinal Election Survey data, this article carries out a large-N analysis of support for Die Linke. It uses multiple linear regression to test how far support for this party is explained by proximity between voters and the party, or by levels of populism among voters. Results showed greater support for Die Linke from proximal voters on each dimension; however, highly populist voters were not found to be more supportive of Die Linke. The article concludes in favour of a policy-proximity explanation but suggests the party's well-established nature may have altered voters' policy preferences, potentially leaving a reverse causal relationship and leaving in doubt the role of policy-proximity on radical left support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the influence of the Heritage Transfer of Development Rights (HTDR) among heritage property owners and explores how its successful implementation has been hampered based on the study of two indicators—policy awareness and implementation efficiency—which are vital for generating initial interest among stakeholders and leading them to use the policy. The HTDR policy at Ahmedabad, introduced in 2015 as an incentive program supporting the conservation of privately owned properties within the old city of Ahmedabad, has failed to generate much interest among the local community. As per the documents available online on the website of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, in the last 9 years, only 81 properties with TDR certificates. It is thus very pertinent to identify the reasons for its lack of influence and acceptance. In this study, a mixed method was adopted involving a closed-ended survey and semi structured interviews. The inferences are based on the responses gathered from heritage property owners currently living in heritage properties and those living elsewhere. The heritage properties were identified based on a random sampling method from the listed heritage properties spread across the 13 wards of the walled city. Based on the research findings, although most property owners are aware of the HTDR policy and find it an essential tool for conserving heritage in Ahmedabad, awareness of the whole mechanism and application process is significantly limited. The implementation of the HTDR policy is highly inefficient, and more awareness must be generated among owners. Moreover, more training or technical assistance needs to be provided to them to help them access the incentive program. The lack of a proper and comprehensible policy brief or document further hinders the situation. Overall, property owners are not completely satisfied with the HTDR policy and suggest critical revisions, such as reducing the file clearance time, calculating a new TDR amount, and modifying the stages of fund disbursement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the live music industry have received much attention, little consideration has been given to regional music production clusters more broadly. Evaluating the impacts of the pandemic on the music economy of North West England, this paper identifies key areas of support required as music businesses transition into a digitally-orientated post-COVID period. Findings demonstrate the ways in which the pandemic encouraged or forced music businesses to innovate with new digital ways of showcasing, promoting and distributing music. Yet, while digitalisation offers many opportunities, these are often difficult for businesses to capitalise upon. The paper argues the need to place business support at the heart of local cultural policy. More specifically, the paper makes the case for a soft institutionalist approach whereby local policymakers, the market and civil society work together to generate and distribute crucial resources of human, financial and social capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]