UGC NET ENGLISH UNIT 7 : Cultural Policy & Institutions

Cultural Policy & Institutions for UGC-NET (Paper 2 English, Unit 8)

Table of Contents

• 1. Museums as Cultural Sites
• 2. Heritage Debates
• 3. Cultural Industries
• 4. Copyright & Cultural Production
• 5. Cultural Citizenship
• 6. Cultural Governance
• 7. Practice Questions
• 8. Conclusion

Key Takeaways

• Museums function as "theaters of memory" shaping cultural narratives
• UNESCO's World Heritage program raises debates about cultural ownership
• Copyright laws balance creator rights with public access to culture
• Cultural citizenship examines rights to participate in cultural life

1. Museums as Cultural Sites

"All museums are theaters of memory." - Tony Bennett

Evolution of Museums

Type	Characteristics	Example
Enlightenment Museums	Systematic classification, educational purpose	British Museum (1753)
National Museums	Construct national identity, display cultural heritage	National Museum, Delhi
Community Museums	Participatory, represent local narratives	Museum of Ordinary People

Key Concepts

• Cultural Representation: Museums selectively display artifacts to construct narratives
• Postcolonial Critique: Challenges Eurocentric displays of non-Western cultures
• New Museology: Emphasizes visitor experience and social context over objects

2. Heritage Debates

Types of Heritage

• Tangible: Monuments, buildings, artifacts
• Intangible: Traditions, performing arts, oral histories
• Natural: Landscapes with cultural significance

Key Debates

1. Authenticity: What constitutes "authentic" heritage?
2. Ownership: Who controls heritage - nations or humanity?
3. Commodification: Heritage as tourist commodity vs. living culture

UNESCO World Heritage Program

Established in 1972, the program has been critiqued for:

• Western bias in selection criteria
• Prioritizing monumental over everyday heritage
• Creating hierarchies of cultural value

3. Cultural Industries

Theodor Adorno vs. John Fiske

Theorist	Perspective	Key Concept
Adorno	Critical Theory	"Culture industry" produces standardized commodities
Fiske	Cultural Studies	Audiences actively reinterpret cultural products

Creative Economy

The UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) defines creative industries as:

• Advertising
• Architecture
• Arts and antiques
• Crafts
• Design
• Fashion
• Film
• Music
• Publishing
• Software
• TV and radio

4. Copyright & Cultural Production

Key Copyright Concepts

• Berne Convention (1886): International copyright agreement
• Fair Use: Limited use of copyrighted material without permission
• Public Domain: Works no longer under copyright protection

Debates in Digital Age

1. Digital Rights Management (DRM): Protects content but limits access
2. Creative Commons: Alternative licensing models
3. Cultural Commons: Shared cultural resources

Lawrence Lessig's Framework

Four modalities of regulation that constrain creativity:

1. Law (copyright)
2. Architecture (digital code)
3. Market forces
4. Social norms

5. Cultural Citizenship

Definition

The right to participate fully in cultural life, including:

• Access to cultural institutions
• Representation in cultural narratives
• Participation in cultural production

Key Theorists

Theorist	Contribution
Toby Miller	Distinguished between economic, political and cultural citizenship
Nick Stevenson	Examined media's role in cultural citizenship

6. Cultural Governance

Models of Cultural Policy

1. Patronage Model: State as primary funder (e.g., France)
2. Arm's Length Principle: Independent arts councils (e.g., UK)
3. Market Model: Private sector dominance (e.g., USA)

Key Institutions

• Ministry of Culture: Government department overseeing cultural affairs
• Arts Councils: Distribute public funding to arts organizations
• Public Service Broadcasters: BBC, Doordarshan (cultural mandate)

7. UGC-NET Practice Questions

MCQ Pattern

Single correct answer (2 marks each). No negative marking.

1. Who described museums as "theaters of memory"?

   1. Raymond Williams
   2. Stuart Hall
   3. Tony Bennett
   4. Michel Foucault

2. The UNESCO World Heritage program began in:

   1. 1945
   2. 1972
   3. 1989
   4. 2001

3. Which is NOT typically considered a creative industry?

   1. Architecture
   2. Film
   3. Banking
   4. Publishing

4. Match the following:

   Concept	Theorist
   1. Cultural Citizenship	A. Lawrence Lessig
   2. Creative Commons	B. Toby Miller
   3. Culture Industry	C. Theodor Adorno

   1. 1-B, 2-A, 3-C
   2. 1-A, 2-C, 3-B
   3. 1-C, 2-B, 3-A
   4. 1-B, 2-C, 3-A

   Answer: A

8. Conclusion

Cultural Policy & Institutions is a vital area for UGC-NET aspirants, connecting literary studies with broader questions of:

• How cultural value is constructed and contested
• The political economy of cultural production
• Rights to cultural participation and representation

Understanding these concepts enables critical analysis of both literary texts and their institutional contexts.