soviet heritage of latvian cultural policy
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Paper for ESA (European Sociological Association ) 11th Conference in Turin. 2013.08.31. In contemporary theory of cultural policy there is a popular assumption about role of arts in social development. The local cultural assotiations can be powerful actors in revitalization, civic engagement, community-building, etc. Cultural participation is viewed as a source of social capital, which in turn contributes to social cohesion and building better environment. The two most popular Latvian amateur arts forms are choral singing and participation in folk dance ensembles. Their popularity is a result of established national tradition - singing is regarded as one of the most important Latvian cornerstones of the nation's identity. The other factor is administration of culture which is largely inherited from the USSR without any significant structural transformations. Cultural policy is still dominated by paternalistic model in which the state continues to undertake responsibility and control of certain professional and amateur art forms. Government is responsible for the delivery of culture and certain art activities (amateur singing and dancing are among them) to the masses. Maintaining network of cultural houses and hiring amateur collective conductors are dominant type of support. Therefore the government nourished choirs and dance ensembles do not meet requirements to be regarded as associations of free citizens. They are rather groups of amateurs in ‘residential care’ than active and self-organizing art or cultural communities from whose artistic practices we can hope to get additional social capital and input in local social development.TRANSCRIPT
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SOVIET HERITAGE OF LATVIAN CULTURAL POLICY
a09RN07 / Culture, Heritage and memory14:00 – 15:30 / Saturday 31 / CLE B
Torino, 28-31 August 2013ESA 11th ConferenceCrisis, Critique and Change
Jānis DaugavietisUniversity of Latvia, Rīga
Cultural houses in Latvia, 2013
Causal link between two factors: cultural activities and Causal link between two factors: cultural activities and community developmentcommunity development
Cultural participation - a form of public [political] Cultural participation - a form of public [political] participation:participation:
- individuals develop contacts with others and learn to - individuals develop contacts with others and learn to act collectivelyact collectively
- it creates - it creates unintended outcome unintended outcome - increas- increasee social capital social capital of community (of community (ColemanColeman--Putnam thesPutnam thesisis))
How culture works?How culture works?
Putnam's theory of social Putnam's theory of social capital & developmentcapital & development
Key to development: strong horizontal networks of civic Key to development: strong horizontal networks of civic engagement (membership in voluntary associations)engagement (membership in voluntary associations)
"."... the vibrancy of associational life. ... the number of amateur .. the vibrancy of associational life. ... the number of amateur soccer clubs, choral societies, hiking clubs, bird-watching groups, soccer clubs, choral societies, hiking clubs, bird-watching groups, literary circles, hunters' associations, Lions Clubs, and the like in literary circles, hunters' associations, Lions Clubs, and the like in each community and region ...each community and region ..."" (Robert D, Robert Leonardi, and Raffaella Y Nanetti. (Robert D, Robert Leonardi, and Raffaella Y Nanetti. Making democracy work: Civic traditions in modern ItalyMaking democracy work: Civic traditions in modern Italy . Princeton university press, 1993: 91pp.). Princeton university press, 1993: 91pp.)
""In summary, economics does not predict civics, but civics does In summary, economics does not predict civics, but civics does predict economics, better indeed than economics itselfpredict economics, better indeed than economics itself."." (157, ibid.)(157, ibid.)
Cultural policyCultural policy
""...cultural resources are used for the state to achieve ...cultural resources are used for the state to achieve symbolic, economic and social aims, by means of symbolic, economic and social aims, by means of administrative, juridical, economic and other measuresadministrative, juridical, economic and other measures" " (Bennett, T. [2001]. Cultural Policy. In N. J. Smelser & P. B. Baltes (eds.), (Bennett, T. [2001]. Cultural Policy. In N. J. Smelser & P. B. Baltes (eds.), International encyclopedia of the International encyclopedia of the social & behavioral sciencessocial & behavioral sciences (Vol. 1st, pp. 3092–7). Amsterdam ; New York: Elsevier). (Vol. 1st, pp. 3092–7). Amsterdam ; New York: Elsevier).
The CP of each state are determined and created by The CP of each state are determined and created by various contextual conditions and factors: history, various contextual conditions and factors: history, traditions, cultural bureaucracy etc.traditions, cultural bureaucracy etc. ((Stanziola, Javier. 2002. "Neo-Stanziola, Javier. 2002. "Neo-
liberalism and cultural policies in Latin America: The case of Chile." liberalism and cultural policies in Latin America: The case of Chile." International Journal of Cultural International Journal of Cultural PolicyPolicy 8:21-35.; Zimmer, Annette, and Stefan Toepler. 1999. "The Subsidized Muse: Government and the 8:21-35.; Zimmer, Annette, and Stefan Toepler. 1999. "The Subsidized Muse: Government and the Arts in Western Europe and the United States." Arts in Western Europe and the United States." Journal of Cultural EconomicsJournal of Cultural Economics 23:33-49. 23:33-49.))
‘‘Total’ and very instrumental CPTotal’ and very instrumental CP(«(«Enlightenment for allEnlightenment for all»)»)
– – educateducationion & control & control– – skilled & wealthy workforceskilled & wealthy workforce
(high human capital)(high human capital)
Use of cultural means for education, inseparable from Use of cultural means for education, inseparable from ideological and other social policiesideological and other social policies
The cultural policy in the USSRThe cultural policy in the USSR(...(...back in the U.S.S.R.back in the U.S.S.R.You don't know how lucky you are boyYou don't know how lucky you are boy))
* / ( ; ; ), -дом культуры клуб районный городской сельский изба, , , , читальня краснаяюрта красная чайхана красный чум
красная яранга
Cultural houses in the Soviet Russia and the USSR
Cultural houses in Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic and The Republic of Latvia
1st CONCLUSION. In terms of amateur cultural buildings nothing much is changed since the fall of Soviet Union.
RegionalRegional ««culturcultural policy»al policy» todaytoday
Central and local governments sustain un finance all Central and local governments sustain un finance all art schools, all houses of culture and whole art schools, all houses of culture and whole amateur ‘cultural process’amateur ‘cultural process’
(buildings, cultural officers and their education and re-(buildings, cultural officers and their education and re-education, band leaders, requisites, events and festivals education, band leaders, requisites, events and festivals etc.)etc.)
……and the 2nd and 3rd sector in regional cultural life and the 2nd and 3rd sector in regional cultural life is almost absent (NGO’s, commercial ventures, is almost absent (NGO’s, commercial ventures, grassroot activities)grassroot activities)
ConclusionsConclusions
The The Republic of Latvia has inherited typical Republic of Latvia has inherited typical top-down model of CP from the USSR, and it top-down model of CP from the USSR, and it is still unchangedis still unchanged(except abadoned control and ‘forgotten’ social goals)(except abadoned control and ‘forgotten’ social goals)
VVertical organisation ertical organisation of and neglecting social of and neglecting social issues within the cultural governances issues within the cultural governances does does not fulfil conditions for mechanism of not fulfil conditions for mechanism of production of production of social capitalsocial capital
