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2021/22 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

PECI5218M Cultural Policy and the Politics of Culture

30 creditsClass Size: 25

Module manager: Ben Dunn
Email: B.A.Dunn@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2021/22

Module replaces

PECI5208M Cultural Policy; models and debate

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

In this module students will examine the role of government in supporting the cultural industries. We will jointly consider why and how governments across the globe get involved with culture in various ways from funding cultural activities to giving tax breaks to cultural organisations, from encouraging creative freedom to licensing and censorship of cultural output. We will explore the practical and political dimensions of the choices and decisions they make and the implications of these for the cultural sector.

Objectives

The objectives of this module are to:
• Enable students to compare and evaluate arts and cultural industries policy models as developed and practised in different countries and/or contexts
• Engage students to apply policy models to practice to improve their employability in the cultural sector

Learning outcomes
1. Understand debates about the history and origins of government involvement in the creative industries
2. Compare the dominant cultural policy models adopted internationally
3. Critique the objectives, structures, and administrative apparatus of cultural policy institutions
4. Evaluate the implementation of specific cultural policy objectives
5. Critique concepts such as impact, evaluation, and policy transfer.


Syllabus

In this module, students develop their knowledge and perspectives of government involvement in the creative industries, by studying arts or cultural industries policy models in the West and their influence, development and implementation around the world.
The models under study could include
- state patronage of the arts (arts council or cultural ministry);
- creative city policies that include cultural districts, quarters, or clusters;
- the ‘city of culture’ model that uses culture in place-marketing or development policy.
The module is delivered through lectures, introducing theories and principles pertaining to different aspects of cultural policy, alongside seminars to contextualise the theory in practise.
Seminar topics may include:
• Cultural policies: international comparative perspectives
• A policy model under the microscope: origins, ideologies and assumptions
• Case studies examining the implementation of specific policies in practice.
• Key debates in the historical development of the model
• Contemporary institutions and policy implementation
• Policy transfer
Impact and evaluation: methods and debates

Teaching methods

Delivery typeNumberLength hoursStudent hours
Lecture81.008.00
Practical22.004.00
Seminar81.008.00
Tutorial10.500.50
Private study hours279.50
Total Contact hours20.50
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)300.00

Private study

Preparation for seminars 7 hours per week x 10 week = 70 hours
Preparation for tutorial 9.5 hours
Preparation of first essay 100 hours
Preparation for second assignment 100 hours

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Students will present ideas for their summative assessment mid-way through the module and receive formative feedback from tutor and peers. In addition they will have the chance to talk more in-depth about the assignment at a 1-2-1 tutorial

Methods of assessment


Coursework
Assessment typeNotes% of formal assessment
Essay3000 word essay in response to set questions50.00
Project3000 word report evaluating an example of policy in practice50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 17/12/2021

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