Creative Economy and Culture in International Link

Creative Economy and Culture in International Link

The project examines the practice of EU Cultural Diplomacy (CD) and its effect on third countries. Led by a multinational consortium with researchers from seven institutes in six countries (Denmark, Poland, New Zealand, Japan, India and Israel), REACTIK's activities and research methods address the participants’ considerable geopolitical diversity and the role played by each institute within this array. In order to provide a comprehensive picture of EU CD outside EU borders, the project’s non-EU partners conducted in-depth field research to examine how EU CD is enacted in their countries, while also evaluating its influence on relevant actors in the political, cultural, and social fields. Simultaneously, EU partners theorized about the EU mode of operation, creating designated research tools that can evaluate political activity. The project’s main goal was to advance theoretical thought in this developing area of policy, since there is a significant gap between the scope of CD activity and the academic ability to examine, evaluate and understand its implications. The project resulted in a number of unexpected theoretical and practical outcomes and contributions that were unforeseen at the development stage. The Project’s researchers, who spent years examining and developing the discipline, produced several unexpected by-products, such as curriculums, courses, academic structures and academic publications. Moreover, preoccupation with CD alongside significant global transformations that took place during the project, COVID-19 in particular, increased general interest in exploring new diplomacy – whether online, digital or cultural. These developments did not go unnoticed by the members of the consortium who utilized the tools they created in order to present these new developments in international academic conferences and publications.The project included:1.CD research methodology as a political tool: in the absence of a coherent theory and research tools for academically evaluating CD, the partners developed a methodological toolbox: “The Study of EU Cultural Diplomacy - A Toolbox.” The essay lays the groundwork for developing a conceptual perception that will enable academic research on EU to use culture as a diplomatic tool. 2.Analysis of national test cases to evaluate EU CD practices in third countries: project’s multinational teams developed research methodologies for properly evaluating EU political practices while taking into account each country’s unique conditions as reflected in each country’s distinct historical development vis-à-vis the EU, its geographical location, its economy and how it is perceived by the EU. This is the very heart of the Project, reflecting the existing methodological and research diversity through which one can approach the issue of CD. The resulting four essays, illustrate the various team members’ disciplinary traditions and methodologies in fields such as sociology, art and culture, communication and international relations.3.Development of resource centers (RC): CD is a constantly-evolving field of policy. In response to the need for a regularly-updated body of knowledge that will be able to monitor the development and accumulation of cultural activity, the Project established institutional RCs which will continue to serve researchers, students, stakeholders and people in the cultural scene. 4.Consortium meetings: throughout the project, consortium members convened periodically and developed the discipline’s underlying research methodology and academic infrastructure. These meetings, which included many experts as well, became multi-disciplinary think tanks.5.Distribution and publication: establishment of a website alongside academic conferences and events.

The Partners:

BEZALEL ACADEMY OF ARTS AND DESIGN, Israel - Coordinator

BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV, Israel
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU UNIVERSITY, India
KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET, Denmark
UNIVERSITY OF CANTERBURY, New Zealand
UNIWERSYTET JAGIELLONSKI, Poland
WASEDA UNIVERSITY, Japan