Cultural Citizenship. An Integrative Agenda for a Transdisciplinary Debate

Master's Thesis , 2014 , 101 Pages , Grade: ~1,2

Cultural Studies - Miscellaneous

Cultural citizenship is a new term to highlight that participating in society is not just a legal or political issue but has a cultural dimension as well. For example, citizens need stories, performances and role models to express who they are. In this Research Master Thesis, political philosopher Frederik Boven brings together authors from philosophy, sociology, anthropology, cultural studies and cultural policy. The authors include Paul Ricoeur, Will Kymlicka, Jeffrey Alexander, and Renato Rosaldo. Combining methods from transdisciplinary studies and cognitive linguistis, an agenda for is developed for a wide-ranging debate on cultural citizenship.

This Research Master Thesis focuses on the Netherlands, where the relationship between culture and citizenship has become particularly contested in the beginning of the 21th century. Immigrants, especially Muslims, have seen their citizenship called in question. Dutch artists have faced severe budget cuts. As everywhere, gays and women struggle for respect and visibility in the public domain. Three recommendation are made to deal with these issues: (1) make culture equally accessible to all citizens; (2) protect the richness and viability of culture; (3) balance unity and diversity.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• CHAPTER 1: Introduction
  • SECTION 1.1: The conversation frame and the debate frame
  • SECTION 1.2: 'The Dutch windmill': a problem situation in the Netherlands
• CHAPTER 2: Key concepts
  • SECTION 2.1: Cultural citizenship
  • SECTION 2.2: A transdisciplinary debate
  • SECTION 2.3: An integrative agenda
• CHAPTER 3: Formulating research questions
  • SECTION 3.1: Procedure
  • SECTION 3.2: The modernism-postmodernism debate
  • SECTION 3.3: The Council for Culture
  • SECTION 3.4: Renato Rosaldo
  • SECTION 3.5: Nick Stevenson
  • SECTION 3.6: Paul Scheffer
  • SECTION 3.7: Will Kymlicka
  • SECTION 3.8: Jeffrey Alexander
  • SECTION 3.9: Paul Ricoeur
• CHAPTER 4: Integrating research questions
  • SECTION 4.1: Single normative question
  • SECTION 4.2: Principle I: make culture equally accessible to all citizens
  • SECTION 4.3: Principle II: protect the richness and viability of culture
  • SECTION 4.4: Principle III: balance unity and diversity
  • SECTION 4.5: Structured list of research questions

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis explores the concept of "cultural citizenship" in the context of a specific problem situation in the Netherlands. The main objective is to develop a comprehensive research agenda for a transdisciplinary debate on this topic. The thesis aims to offer a framework for understanding the interaction between culture and citizenship, considering various fields and perspectives. Key themes include:

• The complex relationship between culture and citizenship
• The role of culture in promoting civic engagement and societal cohesion
• The need for a transdisciplinary approach to addressing challenges related to cultural citizenship
• The formulation of a research agenda that integrates insights from diverse authors and perspectives
• The identification of normative principles that should guide interventions in the problem situation.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

Chapter 1 introduces the concept of "cultural citizenship" and its relevance to the Netherlands. It presents a "problem situation" concerning the perceived lack of cultural contribution to citizen functioning. This problem is framed within a transdisciplinary debate, highlighting the need for an integrative approach. Chapter 2 delves into key concepts, defining "cultural citizenship" as a multifaceted concept open to interpretation. It emphasizes the importance of a transdisciplinary approach, encompassing various fields and paradigms, and advocates for an integrative agenda that combines different perspectives. Chapter 3 focuses on formulating research questions, exploring different approaches and methodologies. It analyzes the contributions of seven authors from diverse fields and paradigms, including the Dutch Council for Culture, Renato Rosaldo, Nick Stevenson, Paul Scheffer, Will Kymlicka, Jeffrey Alexander, and Paul Ricoeur. The chapter outlines a comprehensive list of 78 research questions reflecting their work. Chapter 4 integrates the research questions, proposing a structured and shorter list of 12 questions with sub-questions. It identifies a single normative question that encapsulates the central focus of the research and establishes three normative principles that should guide interventions in the Dutch problem situation: (1) make culture equally accessible to all citizens; (2) protect the richness and viability of culture; (3) balance unity and diversity.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The primary keywords and focus topics of this work are: cultural citizenship, transdisciplinary debate, integrative agenda, Dutch problem situation, research questions, normative principles, culture, citizenship, accessibility, richness, viability, unity, diversity. The thesis emphasizes the importance of cultural citizenship as a key concept for understanding the role of culture in contemporary society. It focuses on the development of a comprehensive research agenda that incorporates insights from various disciplines, aiming to provide a framework for a transdisciplinary debate on this crucial issue.

• College: University of Groningen (Faculty of Philosophy)
• Grade: ~1,2
• Author: Frederik Boven (Author)
• Publication Year: 2014
• Pages: 101
• Catalog Number: V282396
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656767206
• ISBN (Book): 9783656767190
• Language: English
• Tags: cultural citizenship, culture, citizenship, political philosophy, cultural sociology, cultural anthropology, cultural studies