Author: Evrard, Yves

Publication Year:

Media Type: Journal

Summary:

The argument in this article is that debates about culture - which go beyond cultural policies to include, for example, the criticism of mass culture in defense of intellectual culture - may be grouped and structured around the conflict between two paradigms: the democratization of culture versus cultural democracy. This conflict comes to a large extent from the cultural field itself. (from abstract)

Abstract:

The argument in this article is that debates about culture - which go beyond cultural policies to include, for example, the criticism of mass culture in defense of intellectual culture - may be grouped and structured around the conflict between two paradigms: the democratization of culture versus cultural democracy. This conflict comes to a large extent from the cultural field itself.

My aim is to present the characteristics of the two paradigms and the origin of the dichotomy before seeking to identify their philosophical roots and show links between this dichotomy and those in other fields such as research on communication and consumer behavior. I will conclude by showing how this conflict between two cultural paradigms may be viewed in light of the transition from modernity to postmodernity. I hope to contribute to an understanding of the debate rather than advocate the superiority of one position over the other.

Government cultural policies, notably in Europe and more specifically in France, are mainly steered toward the democratization of culture. They aim to disseminate major cultural works to an audience that does not have ready access to them, for lack of financial means or knowledge derived from education. From this perspective, a mark of success for a cultural policy would be a demographic structure for attendance for major artworks that matches that of the total population. This match would mean that the disparities in cultural attendance would have been erased. However, the failure of such policies is shown by the persistent gap, revealed by one study after another, in terms of education and income, between those who attend museums or theaters and the population as a whole.

By contrast, a model of cultural democracy may be defined as one founded on free individual choice, in which the role of a cultural policy is not to interfere with the preferences expressed by citizen-consumers but to support the choices made by individuals or social groups through a regulatory policy applied to the distribution of information of the structures of supply, as happens in other types of markets. (p. 167-8)

CONTENTS
The Roots of the Dichotomy Between Democratization and Democracy.
The Philosophical Roots.
Culture and Communication.
Culture and Consumption.
Consequences and Limitations.
Conclusion: The Postmodernity Perspective.
Notes.
References [bibliography].

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Cultural Diversity