Cultural policies in cities of the ‘global South’: a multi-scalar approach

Abstract

Building on the literature on global cities and on the worlding of cities, the articles in this special issue chart how cities outside Europe and North America try to reinvent and rescale themselves using culture. They suggest that the fabric of urban cultural policy is embedded in multi-scalar power dynamics. First, the contributions in this special issue reveal the importance of circulating standards across borders in structuring narratives about urban history, heritage and identity, in conjunction with local actors' interests. Second, the diffusion of hegemonic cultural policy models such as the "creative city" leads to logics of exclusion, gentrification, and has been met with resistance, which suggest that these models can be to the detriment of local residents, despite the progressive values they are often claim to promote. Third, this special issue points to the need to rethink the politics of cultural policy mobility and offers conceptual tools such as vernacularization to make sense of the ways in which urban elites navigate, negotiate and take advantage of circulating cultural policy models.

Living the heritage through Indigenous music competitions

“…In essence, the failure to integrate indigenous performances into the urban milieu not only perpetuates socio-economic disparities but also stifles the creative and cultural potential that could enhance the vitality and identity of these rapidly evolving urban centres in the global South. As Molho et al [8] stipulate that.…”

The Role of Cultural Heritage in Promoting Urban Sustainability: A Brief Review

“…Some instances can also be found outside of the West in the world's cultural, economic, and geopolitical systems that determine international cultural interactions and cultural policies. Sharjah was designated as the "World Book Capital" by UNESCO in 2019 [45] when this little Gulf city-state began to rebuild itself as an artistic and cultural center. Beijing's 798 art district has contributed to the transformation of the Chinese political capital's image into a vibrant art world.…”

“…In 2017, the opening of Zeitz MOCAA museum in Cape Town confirmed its place as the hub of the African contemporary art scene. In 2018, the city of Buenos Aires partnered with the Art Basel Cities programme to fund a multiyear series of projects aimed at improving the city's art scene and connecting it with the global art world [45].…”

“…Therefore, urban sustainability can be clearly connected with urban planning and related cultural policies. Culture is progressively being mainstreamed in a variety of policy sectors, including innovation, economic development, social stability, urban planning, and city-wide international relationships and policies [45,47]. The impact that cultural investment and creative professionals have on people's emotions and morale is mostly unknown because such activities are rarely identified as cultural [45,55].…”

“…Culture is progressively being mainstreamed in a variety of policy sectors, including innovation, economic development, social stability, urban planning, and city-wide international relationships and policies [45,47]. The impact that cultural investment and creative professionals have on people's emotions and morale is mostly unknown because such activities are rarely identified as cultural [45,55]. Additionally, actionable plans at multiple scales and the adoption of a multidisciplinary approach including specialists from diverse sectors will be beneficial.…”