Outline

Overview

This unit examines cultural policy across a range of sectors such as museums and heritage, the arts, media, and the cultural industries. It will provide theoretical perspectives and practical insight into policy formation processes in Australia and internationally. The multiple actors and rationales that shape policy and ground claims for its relevance amid social change and cultural diversity are considered. Students learn how to analyse policies in relation to the institutional, social and political contexts of their emergence.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	GCST4207
Academic unit	Gender and Cultural Studies
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	None
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Josto Luzzu, josto.luzzu@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Participation	tutorial participation and presentation tutorial participation and presentation	10%	-	n/a
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Research essay Research essay	50%	Formal exam period Due date: 17 Nov 2023 at 23:59	3000wd
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Policy analysis Policy analysis	30%	Week 06 Due date: 08 Sep 2023 at 23:59	1250wd
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Research plan Research plan	10%	Week 11 Due date: 20 Oct 2023 at 23:59	250wd
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Research essay Student will execute the research they proposed in their essay proposal.	50%	Formal exam period Due date: 2 June 2022	3000 words
Assignment	Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Participation	Tutorial participation Participation will be either online via Zoom or in-person	10%	Ongoing	n/a
Participation	Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Assignment	Policy analysis Analysis of a chosen policy selected from a list provided by the lecturer.	30%	Week 06 Due date: 29 Mar 2022	1250 words
Assignment	Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO5
Assignment	Research plan Research plan in preparation for final research essay	10%	Week 11 Due date: 10 May 2022	250 words
Assignment	Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Distinction	75 - 84	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Credit	65 - 74	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Pass	50 - 64	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date: Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date. After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded. This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below: 5% per day in accordance with University policy.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction (culture + policy)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Cultural policy in Australia	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 03	'Valuing' culture	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 04	The 'creative cities' debate	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 05	The European Capital of Culture	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 06	Globalization and Cultural Policy	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 07	Neoliberalism and negotiated Cultural Policy	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 08	Cultural policy and Street Art	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 09	Creative labourers	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 10	Reading week – research essay proposal preparation	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 11	Audiences and participation	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 12	Museums, digital media and the pandemic	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 13	Overview, reflections and final essay workshop	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
Participation: Besides turning up to lectures and tutorials, which are a requirement for passing the course, you are also expected to have completed the set readings and to be prepared to discuss these in tutorials, including leading the discussion in one specific week. This week will be allocated in the first tutorial. You will be marked on:
• preparedness: on having completed the set readings and turning up to tutorials.

• contribution to discussion: on your willingness to engage in informed and productive discussion and debate.

• conduct: on being able to engage in debate respectfully and constructively with your peers.
Participation through Canvas forums will also contribute to your participation grade.
Lecture recording: Lectures will be delivered live and recorded. Every lecture will be made available to students on Canvas. As tutorials follow the lecture, please ensure you have accessed this recording before attending your tutorial.
Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings appear in Canvas under the ‘Reading List’ tab.

Week 1 (1 Aug): Introduction

Required Readings:

Rosenstein, C. (2018), Chapter 2 ‘What is Cultural Policy?’ in Understanding Cultural Policy, Routledge, pp. 48-69.

Mulcahy, K. V. (2006). ‘Cultural Policy: Definitions and Theoretical Approaches’, Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society, 35.4: 319–330.

Week 2 (8 Aug): Cultural Policy in Australia

Required readings:

Craik, J., McAllister, L., & Davis, G. (2003). ‘Paradoxes and contradictions in government approaches to contemporary cultural policy: an Australian perspective’, International Journal of Cultural Policy, 9.1: 17–33.

Caust, J. (2019) ‘The continuing saga around arts funding and the cultural wars in Australia’, International Journal of Cultural Policy, 25.6: 765-779.

Recommended readings:

Eltham, B. & Verhoeven, D. (2020) ‘A “natural experiment” in Australian cultural policy: Australian Government funding cuts disproportionately affect companies that produce more new work and have larger audiences’, International Journal of Cultural Policy, 26.1: 81-94.

Rowe, D. et al (2016) ‘Transforming cultures? From Creative Nation to Creative Australia’, Media International Australia, 158.1: 6-16.

Week 3 (15 Aug): ‘Valuing’ culture

Required readings:

C. Gray (2007) ‘Commodification and Instrumentality in Cultural Policy’, International Journal of Cultural Policy, 13.2: 203-15.

Belfiore, E. (2020) ‘Whose cultural value? Representation, power and creative industries’, International Journal of Cultural Policy, 26.3: 383-397.

Recommended readings:

Gibson, L. (2008) ‘In defence of instrumentality’, Cultural Trends, 17.4: 247-257.

O’Brien, D. (2014) Chapter 6: ‘The Value of Culture’ in Cultural Policy Management: Value and Modernity in the Creative Industries, Routledge, pp. 112-130.

Week 4 (22 Aug): The ‘Creative Cities’ debate

Required readings:

A.J. Scott (2006) ‘Creative Cities: Conceptual Issues and Policy Questions’, Journal of Urban Affairs, 28.1: 1-17.

L. Kong (2014) ‘Transnational Mobilities and the Making of Creative Cities’, Theory, Culture & Society, 31.7/8: 273–289.

Recommended readings:

J. McGuigan (2009) ‘Doing a Florida thing: the creative class thesis and cultural policy’, International Journal of Cultural Policy, 15.3: 291-300.

Flew, T. (2013) ‘Introduction: Creative Industries and Urban Development’ in Creative Industries and Urban Development: Creative Cities in the 21St Century, Routledge, pp.12-61.

Grodach. (2017). Urban cultural policy and creative city making. Cities, 68, 82–91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2017.05.015

Week 5 (29 Aug): The European Capital of Culture

Required readings:

Mittag, J. (2013), ‘The changing concept of the European Capital of Culture’, in The Cultural Politics of Europe: European Capitals of Culture and European Union since the 1980s (Vol. 24). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203081082

Sassatelli. (2008). EUROPEAN CULTURAL SPACE IN THE EUROPEAN CITIES OF CULTURE: Europeanization and cultural policy. European Societies, 10(2), 225–245. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616690701835311

Recommended

Calligaro, O. (2013), ‘Florence as European City of Culture for 1986 and the legitimisation of an EC cultural policy’ in Patel, K. K. (Ed.), in The Cultural Politics of Europe: European Capitals of Culture and European Union since the 1980s (Vol. 24). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203081082

Week 6 (5 Sep): Globalization and Cultural Policy

Required

Ryoo. (2009). Globalization, or the logic of cultural hybridization: the case of the Korean wave. Asian Journal of Communication, 19(2), 137–151. https://doi.org/10.1080/01292980902826427

Lee. (2019) Chapter 6: ‘The Korean Wave Inside Out’, in Cultural Policy in South Korea: Making a New Patron State (1st ed., Vol. 1). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315736617

Recommended readings:

Kwon, & Kim, J. (2014). The cultural industry policies of the Korean government and the Korean Wave. International Journal of Cultural Policy : CP, 20(4), 422–439. https://doi.org/10.1080/10286632.2013.829052

Nam. (2013). The Cultural Political Economy of the Korean Wave in East Asia: Implications for Cultural Globalization Theories. Asian Perspective, 37(2), 209–231. https://doi.org/10.1353/apr.2013.0008

Policy analysis due.

Week 7 (12 Sep): Neoliberalism and negotiated Cultural Policy

Required Readings

Pholsena. (2006). Chapter 3: ‘Cultural Order and Discipline: The Politics of National Culture’, in Post-war Laos: The Politics of Culture, History and Identity. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

Laungaramsri P. (2015) Commodifying Sovereignty: Special Economic Zones and the Neoliberalization of the Lao Frontier. In: Santasombat Y. (eds) Impact of China’s Rise on the Mekong Region. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.sydney.edu.au/10.1057/9781137476227_5

Recommended readings

Ong, A. (2007). Neoliberalism as a Mobile Technology. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 32(1), 3–8. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4639996

Nyiri. (2006). The Yellow Man’s Burden: Chinese Migrants on a Civilizing Mission. The China Journal (Canberra, A.C.T.), 56(56), 83–106. https://doi.org/10.2307/20066187

Nyíri, P. (2016). 2. Realms of Free Trade, Enclaves of Order: Chinese-Built ‘Instant Cities’ in Northern Laos. In M. Saxer & J. Zhang (Ed.), The Art of Neighbouring: Making Relations Across China's Borders (pp. 57-72). Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9789048532629-005

Week 8 (19 Sep): Cultural policy and Street Art

Required readings:

MacDowall. (2006). In Praise of 70K: Cultural Heritage and Graffiti Style. Continuum (Mount Lawley, W.A.), 20(4), 471–484. https://doi.org/10.1080/10304310600987320

Ulmer. (2017). Writing Urban Space: Street Art, Democracy, and Photographic Cartography. Cultural Studies, Critical Methodologies, 17(6), 491–502. https://doi.org/10.1177/1532708616655818

Recommended readings:

Bruce, C. (2010) Public Surfaces Beyond the Great Wall: Communication and Graffiti Culture in China. Invisible Culture, 15.

Mcauliffe. (2012). Graffiti or Street Art? Negotiating the Moral Geographies of the Creative City. Journal of Urban Affairs, 34(2), 189–206. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9906.2012.00610.x

Week 9 (3 Oct): Creative labourers

Required readings:

McRobbie, A. (2016) ‘Unpacking the Politics of Creative Labour’, Be Creative: Making a Living in the New Culture Industries, Polity Press, pp. 33-59.

Comunian, R. & England, L. (2020) ‘Creative and cultural work without filters: Covid-19 and exposed precarity in the creative economy’, Cultural Trends, 29.2: 112-128.

Recommended readings:

Stevenson, D. (2020) ‘The unfashionable cultural worker? Considering the demography and practice of artists in Greater Western Sydney’, International Journal of Cultural Policy, 26.1: 61-80.

Allen, K. (2020) ‘Young Women’s Aspirations and Transitions into, through and away from Contemporary Creative Work’ in S. Luckman & S. Taylor, Pathways into Creative Working Lives, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 83-99.

Week 10 (10 Oct): Reading week – research essay proposal preparation.

Week 11 (17 Oct): Audiences and participation

Required readings:

Hadley, S. (2018) Chapter 2 in Audience development and cultural policy, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 25-56.

Jancovich, L. & Stevenson, D. (2019), ‘The “problem” of participation in cultural policy’ in B. Eriksson, C. Stage, B. Valtysson (eds), Cultures of Participation: Arts, Digital Media and Cultural Institutions, pp.167-184.

Recommended readings:

Beanman, J. (2016) ‘Citizenship as cultural: Towards a theory of cultural citizenship’, Sociology Compass, 10.10: 849-857.

Mihelj, S, Leguina, A, Downey J. (2019) ‘Culture is digital: Cultural participation, diversity and the digital divide’, New Media & Society, 21(7):1465-1485.

Research essay proposal due: 20 October

Week 12 (24 Oct): Museums, digital media and the pandemic

Required readings:

Samaroudi, S. Rodriguez, K. Echavarria & Perry, L. (2020) ‘Heritage in lockdown: digital provision of memory institutions in the UK and US of America during the COVID-19 pandemic’, Museum Management and Curatorship, 35:4, 337-361.

Agostino, D., Arnaboldi, M. & Lampis, A. (2020) ‘Italian state museums during the COVID-19 crisis: from onsite closure to online openness’, Museum Management and Curatorship, 35:4, 362-372.

Recommended readings:

Valtysson, B. (2020) Chapter 2: ‘Digital Communication, Digital Media and Cultural Policy’, in Digital Cultural Politics: From Policy to Practice, Palgrave Macmillan, pp.13-46.

Hylland, O. (2017) ‘Even Better than the Real Thing? Digital Copies and Digital Museums in a Digital Cultural Policy’, Culture Unbound, 9.1.

Week 13 (31 Oct): Course wrap up/essay prep

Recommended reading:

Paquette, J. & Redaelli, E. (2015) Chapter 6: ‘Cultural Policy Research: Ideas, Institutions, and Interests’ in Arts management and cultural policy research, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 77-91.

Research essay due: 17 November

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Identify and critically assess theoretical perspectives on cultural policy
LO2. Analyse cultural policies in relation to the institutional, cultural and political contexts of their emergence
LO3. Comprehend the range of actors, rationales and factors that bear upon processes of policy formation, implementation and evaluation
LO4. Assess the relationships between policy, social change and cultural diversity
LO5. Clearly express well-informed knowledge of cultural policy through written and verbal forms of academic communication.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

The weekly topics have been updated to take account for developments in the field.

Additional information

Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism

Academic honesty is a core value of the University, so all students are required to act honestly, ethically and with integrity. This means that the University is opposed to and will not tolerate academic dishonesty or plagiarism, and will treat all allegations of academic dishonesty and plagiarism seriously. The consequences of engaging in plagiarism and academic dishonesty, along with the process by which they are determined and applied, are set out in the Academic Honesty in Coursework Policy 2015. You can find these documents University Policy Register at http://sydney.edu.au/policies (enter “Academic Honesty” in the search field).

Definitions

According to the Policy, plagiarism means representing another person’s work (i.e., ideas, findings or words) as one’s own work by presenting, copying or reproducing it without appropriate acknowledgement of the source. Academic dishonesty means seeking to obtain or obtaining academic advantage for oneself or others (including in the assessment or publication of work) by dishonest or unfair means. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:

Resubmission (or recycling) of work that is the same, or substantially the same as work previously submitted for assessment in the same or in a different unit of study. Every unit of study expects each student to produce new material based upon research conducted in that unit;
Dishonest plagiarism;
Engaging another person to complete or contribute to an assessment in your place; and
Various forms of misconduct in examinations (including copying from another student and taking prohibited materials into an examination venue).

For further information on academic integrity, check the Academic dishonesty and plagiarism webpage.

Use of Similarity Detection Software

Students should be aware that Assignments submitted in this unit of study may be submitted to similarity detection software. This software searches for matches between text in your written assessment task and text sourced from the Internet, published works, and assignments that have previously been submitted for analysis.

There will always be some degree of text-matching when using this software. Text-matching may occur in use of direct quotations, technical terms and phrases, or the listing of bibliographic material. This does not mean you will automatically be accused of academic dishonesty or plagiarism, although this software reports may be used as evidence in academic dishonesty and plagiarism decision-making processes. Further information about this software is available at http://sydney.edu.au/students/academic-dishonesty-and-plagiarism/detecting-and-reporting-academic-dishonesty.html.

Work, health and safety

If you, at any time during the semester, feel unwell or experience flu-like symptoms such as sore throat, cough or fever, please DO NOT come to campus, and contact your lecturer to make alternative arrangements. If you are concered for your health or the health of others, it is recommended that you ring your GP or the University Health Centre to ask for advice.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism

Definitions

Use of Similarity Detection Software

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

GCST4207: Cultural Policy

Semester 2, 2023 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism

Definitions

Use of Similarity Detection Software

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect