International Cultural Policy : Towards a Theory

Only abstract. Paper copies of master’s theses are listed in the Helka database (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Electronic copies of master’s theses are either available as open access or only on thesis terminals in the Helsinki University Library.Vain tiivistelmä. Sidottujen gradujen saatavuuden voit tarkistaa Helka-tietokannasta (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Digitaaliset gradut voivat olla luettavissa avoimesti verkossa tai rajoitetusti kirjaston opinnäytekioskeilla.Endast sammandrag. Inbundna avhandlingar kan sökas i Helka-databasen (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Elektroniska kopior av avhandlingar finns antingen öppet på nätet eller endast tillgängliga i bibliotekets avhandlingsterminaler.The focus of this paper is upon state-led international cultural co-operation and policy-making. To this end it is asking: What is the shape of the arena of state-led, international cultural relations, how is it connected to the broader context of ‘international relations’ and under what sorts of policies is it controlled? More specifically, the aims of this study are: 1. To develop an initial theory of this relatively unexamined subject area and, on a more specific level, 2. To observe recent trends in state-led international cultural activity and policy-making in Europe and, in particular, in Canada. A qualitative approach is used in discussing a variety of theoretical texts, internet sources and in analysing a survey of European cultural experts. The theoretical analysis suggests, most importantly, that states do not and cannot act as cohesive actors in determining their international cultural policies. This is in no small part due to the wide variety of pressures which affect and influence the formation of these policies: cultural idealism, foreign policy and security issues, trade concerns, domestic politics and so on. In addition to these constant pressures, each varying in significance over time, the survey of cultural experts also suggests that state-led international cultural policies and co-operation across Europe and Canada are being affected by a common set of ‘d-trends’: desétatisation, de-institutionalisation, de-diplomatisation, and de-nationalisation (due to globalisation and European integration/NAFTA). The bulk of the theory for this paper is drawn from, among others, the ideas of Pierre Bourdieu. Data has been drawn from a wide variety of sources, most significantly from the CIRCLE survey of cultural experts and from Canadian government websites