The second lecture in the Culturelink Guest Lecture Series occurred on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, at the Library of the Institute for Development and International Relations (IRMO). Croatian sociologists Inga Tomić-Koludrović and Mirko Petrić delivered a presentation titled “Cultural Participation and Social Inequalities in Europe.”
The lecture explored whether empirical methodologies borrowed from social sciences are useful in planning cultural programs and assessing their impacts (Belfiore & Bennett, 2010) and whether measurable evidence and indicators can serve as a cornerstone for planning and formulating cultural programs and policies (Belfiore, 2021). Their responses to both questions were grounded in insights gained from extensive empirical research on cultural participation in Europe, conducted as part of the research project “European Inventory of Societal Values of Culture as a Basis for Inclusive Cultural Policies in a Globalized World (INVENT),” funded by the Horizon 2020 program. The study included research conducted in Denmark, Finland, France, Croatia, the Netherlands, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Special emphasis was placed on data from Croatia in their comparative analysis of findings. Drawing on Bourdieu’s emphasis on the societal relevance of research to inform public policy, the presenters criticized the inadequacy of the neoliberal approach and the related concept of “evidence-based public policies.” They argued that in light of the magnitude and complexity of modern social inequalities, systematic scientific (sociological) research is essential to articulate effective cultural policy interventions to mitigate these disparities.
Given that the research covered cultural participation in analogue and digital environments, Tomić-Koludrović and Petrić discussed how prior research on digital and social inequalities emerged from two separate traditions. They highlighted the growing importance of the digital divide—differences in digital skills and technology use—as a source of social inequality while noting the convergence of digital and non-digital inequalities. Acknowledging the interplay of these dynamics and their impact on societal change, the speakers emphasized the need for ongoing reevaluation of cultural competencies that provide advantages in social life. They also stressed the importance of further exploring the interactions between cultural practices in offline/analogue and digital domains.
To address this, the INVENT project conducted in-depth qualitative and quantitative research into what Europeans consider to be “culture” in analog and digital contexts, encompassing both a narrower view linked to the arts and a broader one tied to everyday life. This approach yielded profound insights into the landscape of cultural practices in Europe.
The research provided empirical insights into the social context of cultural participation in Europe today—especially regarding the rise of social inequalities. It also revealed that the political focus on creative industries and the creative economy has primarily emphasized economic outcomes while neglecting culture’s contribution to social cohesion. Consequently, the aim of this research was to create theoretical foundations for shifting the emphasis from the previously favored creative industries to the social values of culture.
The lecture gathered researchers from academia, cultural professionals, and policymakers at local and national levels. Following the presentation, a dynamic discussion took place, with participants engaging in a collective dialogue on how these critical research findings can be applied across all phases and processes of cultural policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation.
For those interested in this topic, various digital materials related to the lecture and the conducted research are available in the Culturelink Center Repository under the category “Cultural Participation and Social Inequalities in Europe.”
The Culturelink team thanks the authors and participants for a fascinating and fruitful discussion. After a year-end break, new and exciting lectures will resume in February 2025.
A photo gallery from the lecture is available below.