How culture and identity shape politics

Cultural politics is government action, laws and programs that regulate, protect, encourage and support activities related to the arts, creative sectors and culture. How do culture and identity shape politics, and how can cultural policy support cultural diversity and creative expression? The lessons trace how public support for culture connects to participation, social identity and political belonging.

2 articles, 1 video, 1 book · about 32 min of reading and viewing

The reading path

1. Read
   

   cultural politics · Wikipedia · 18 min read

   Governments' first efforts to support culture were typically the establishment of archives, museums and libraries. Over the twentieth century, governments established a range of other institutions, such as arts councils and departments of culture. In cultural politics, a hypothetical country with a $12 million per year grant program for orchestras might give $4 million per year to its three top orchestras, as judged by independent professional music critics, conductors and music professors. This would support musical excellence by directing funding only to the top musical groups. Cultural democracy in cultural politics aims for a more participatory approach to defining and providing cultural opportunities. The criticism of cultural democratization is that it sought larger audiences for performances based on the experiences of society's privileged groups.

2. Read
   

   Even Your Political Opponents Want to Believe They're Good People · Greater Good Magazine · 10 min read

   In cultural politics, social identities are tied to people's sense that they're a good member of a political party or a racial, national, or religious group. Keith Payne believes politics, policies, and issues are tools for defending that sense of being good, reasonable members of a group.

3. Watch
   

   There are two kinds of identity politics. One is good. The other, very bad. | Jonathan Haidt · YouTube · 4 min watch

   Jonathan Haidt discusses identity politics and says universities are at the heart of the culture war. He argues that differing opinions are shut out on college campuses in favor of identity politics and "snowflake" culture.

4. Book
   

   The Culture of Politics: Communication and Community in the New American Politics · Bookshop.org

   The Culture of Politics examines how cultural narratives shape political engagement and community in contemporary America.

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