Publisher Description

Since the foundation in 1959 of the Ministry of Culture, cultural policy in France has enjoyed a profile unparalleled in any other country. French Cultural Policy Debates: A Reader makes available the key contributions to a debate which has not only focused on the precise modes of political intervention in cultural production, but has also provided a forum for the discussion of much wider social and political issues. A substantial introduction provides an overview of French cultural policy since 1959 and also places each reading in its political and cultural context. Through the writings of policy-makers and analysts such as Andre Malraux, Jack Lang and Pierre Bourdieu Catherine Trautman, French Cultural Policy Debates traces the emergence of a distinctive model of cultural action and shows how this was challenged in the wake of 1968 challenged by broader understandings of cultural development. Subsequent readings consider the debates generated in the 1980s by France's promotion of cultural industrial forms, and reveal more recent challenges to the very notion of a national cultural policy associated with the increasing globalization of the market for cultural goods.The texts address a span of domains, ranging from theatre, painting, opera and film to popular music and community arts and shape a more fundamental debate concerning the relations between culture, democracy, the economy, technology and the State.

Back Cover

Since the foundation in 1959 of the Ministry of Culture, cultural policy in France has enjoyed a profile unparalleled in any other country. French Cultural Policy Debates: A Reader makes available the key contributions to a debate which has not only focused on the precise modes of political intervention in cultural production, but has also provided a forum for the discussion of much wider social and political issues.

Author Biography

Jeremy Ahearne

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements. Preface. Introduction Jeremy Ahearne. PART ONE: The 'invention' and early critiques of cultural policy 1. Theatre: A Public Service Jean Vilar 2. Leisure and Culture Joffre Dumazedier and A. Ripert 3. Speech Given on the Occasion of the Inauguration of the House of Culture at Amiens Andre Malraux 4. Inequality at School as the Key to Cultural Inequality Pierre Bourdieu 5. The Villeurbane Declaration PART TWO: Cultural development 6. Chalon: Four Years of Cultural Action Francis Jeanson 7. The Age of Culture Jacques Duhamel 8. Cultural Action: Integration and/or Subversion Pierre Gaudibert 9. Cultural Industries Augustin Girard PART THREE: National creation and the economy 10. Culture and the Economy Jack Lang 11. The Cultural Imperative Marc Guillaume 12. A Cultural Elan Jacques Renard 13. Cultural Democratization: The End of a Myth Olivier Donnat 14. The Cultural State Marc Fumaroli 15. The Power of Creation or Power to the Creators? Jean Caune PART FOUR: The routinization of charisma 16. The Cultural Industries Jacques Rigaud 17. Missions for the Ministry of Culture Philippe Urfalino 18. Cultural Febrility Pierre Sansot 19. Chapter of Public Service Missions for the Performing Arts Catherine Trautmann 20. Cultural Diversity and the Cultural Exception Catherine Trautmann Bibliography. Index.

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