Valerie Visanich, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the Department of Sociology, at the University of Malta. She has published in various peer-reviewed journals including in City, Culture and Society (Elsevier), Contemporary Social Science (Routledge) and Sage Open (Sage). Her latest published work is her monograph entitled Education, Individualization and Neoliberalism, Youth in Southern Europe (Bloomsbury). She is a co-editor (with Victoria Alexander and Christopher Mathieu), of the book series The Sociology and Management of the Arts (Routledge) and co-editor of the book Accomplishing Cultural Policy in Europe: Financing, Governance and Responsiveness (Routledge, 2023). She is one of the authors of Malta’s national Cultural Policy. She occupied the position of a chairperson within the European Sociological Association, Research Network Sociology of Art (RN02) between 2017-2019 and is the co-founder of the Malta Sociological Association.
Public opinion data regarding environmental concerns are central to a better understanding of the... more Public opinion data regarding environmental concerns are central to a better understanding of the effects of social movements in sensitising environmental issues, and at times changing political decisions. In August 2021, Transport Malta issued an expression of interest for the design, construction and operation of a 700-berth yacht marina in the bay of Marsaskala, a fast-growing locality in the south east of the Maltese Islands. A social movement made up of residents, non-residents, an environmental NGO and local stakeholders organised a number of protests following the publication of the marina plans. The aim of this article is to identify underlying factors causing individuals' concerns on the proposed development. It explores the environmental movement surrounding this concern and analyses survey data on public opinion. It does so to better understand the extent of specific areas of impact that the proposed marina would have on the community of Marsaskala. Specifically, it focuses on how this would impinge on the everyday life of citizens. Results point to the social, environmental and economic impacts that this development would have, particularly on the community infrastructure of the locality of Marsaskala. Discussion focuses on how the ongoing impact on public opinion and protest, not only on mobilising public opinion but impacting political decisions.
Citation: Mathieu, C & Visanich, V. (2022). Accomplishing cultural policy in Europe: Connections ... more Citation: Mathieu, C & Visanich, V. (2022). Accomplishing cultural policy in Europe: Connections and Illustrations. In C. Mathieu and V.Visanich (eds.), Accomplishing Cultural Policy in Europe: Financing, Governance and Responsiveness (pp.1-16), United Kingdom: Routledge.
Chapter 1: Accomplishing Cultural Policy in Europe: Connections and Illustrations
Christopher Mathieu and Valerie Visanich
Abstract
This chapter develops the concept of “accomplishing” cultural policy and discusses it as an anchor-point for the chapters appearing in this volume. The accomplishing approach marks an interest in understanding the total reach of cultural policy from its formulation, to its facilitation of and impact on the creation of cultural offerings, to how these meet audiences, to evaluation. The conceptualisation also sees accomplishing as an ongoing process, with origins at different governmental levels, taking place across different artistic fields in non-linear manners. It is thus not reducible to a policy cycle or single project. This chapter outlines how the selections in the volume focusing on different dimensions or phases of this wider, ongoing process in a variety of artistic and cultural genres illustrate the nuances and variations in how accomplishing cultural policy across Europe takes place. Simultaneously the studies also highlight similarities and differences across contexts in governance procedures, how financing is used and its impact, and various forms and relationships of responsiveness, such as artist’s and cultural creators’ responsiveness to policy signals, policy-makers responsiveness to trends and social groups, and artists and cultural creators’ responsiveness to audiences and participants.
As Covid-19 impacts mount, Bauman’s notion of liquidity has become ever more fitting to describe ... more As Covid-19 impacts mount, Bauman’s notion of liquidity has become ever more fitting to describe the cultural, economic, and social uncertainties experienced on a global scale in the current times [1]. The liquefaction is not only in the rapidity and mutability of a virus, but also in the uncertainty of the duration on the pandemic. Consequently, there are substantial shifts and disruptions in the everyday life of individuals, principally as employees attempt to shift their work practices online. For others who cannot do this shift, they are shouldering financial burdens through loss of income. Artists are one social group of workers who often engage in non-standard employment terms, including working to the demands of the market and economic conditions.peer-reviewe
The maxim small is beautiful is often applied to small-island states. It is also a fact that smal... more The maxim small is beautiful is often applied to small-island states. It is also a fact that small islands are often faced with vulnerabilities and challenges for their remoteness and insularities. This article examines such peculiarities of small states focusing on art practices from a sociological approach. Can sociological investigation ignore the contextual factors, the limitations and challenges of a small geographical territory and its influence on art production and practices? This was one of the main questions tackled by the BJCEM (Biennale of Young Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean) transnational cultural project, involving an ethnographic study with artists in various small states. This full cultural immersion in Euro-Mediterranean small states aimed at mapping the differences and similarities in constraints and challenges of artistic practices. The working sessions of the BJCEM programme A National Oasis? A Transnational Research Programme aimed at deepening curat...
Education, Individualization and Neoliberalism questions the individualization process in educati... more Education, Individualization and Neoliberalism questions the individualization process in education in the Anglo-American context and analyses how this process is applied in the everyday life of millennials with tertiary education in Southern Europe. Valerie Visanich explores the close affinity of this concept to neoliberalism in contemporary societies, specifically by focusing on changes in education and employment. Using Beck & Beck-Gernsheim’s concept of individualization to refer to increased freedom in one’s life choices yet at the same time increased risks, Visanich unpacks the trajectories of life experiences of tertiary educated millennials in the contemporary neoliberal Anglo-American setting in relation to recent cultural and socio-economic changes. She examines how this individualized mode is adopted and adapted in countries across Southern Europe including Italy, Spain, Portugal, Malta and Greece – in locations where cultural conditions habitually cushion-out, often by f...
This article refers to nostalgia and the way it is triggered by emotion-bearing symbolic structur... more This article refers to nostalgia and the way it is triggered by emotion-bearing symbolic structures and sensory experiences, to make sense of how these are played out in cultural engagement. It examines how the popular cultural event of the festa in Malta, an annual village feast of the patron saint, acts as a platform for nostalgic experiences. With reference to Jeffrey Alexander’s ‘iconic consciousness’, the arguments brought forward are positioned broadly within the notion of symbolic and sensory dynamics during the festa. Additionally, the collective shared experiences of festa enthusiasts, in a Durkheimian tradition, are explored to obtain knowledge on how they make sense of their past and present meanings as well as their feelings towards the village saint and the festa in general. Through the use of interviews conducted with persons who are actively engaged in this event, this article understands how their sense of belonging, both in terms of the material and non-material cul...
Recently, the notion of arts as therapy has been of growing interest to sociologists. The aim of ... more Recently, the notion of arts as therapy has been of growing interest to sociologists. The aim of this article is to evaluate community-based arts funded projects in terms of their priorities and effectiveness and discuss possibilities for enabling Arts on Prescription schemes in Malta. Thematically, this article explores discourse on the potential of the arts on promoting well-being. Methodologically, this article draws on primary data collected from focus groups, interviews and an online survey with project leaders and artists of funded arts projects targeting mental health, disability or old age. Specifically, this research evaluates all national funded community-based arts projects in Malta between 2014 to 2018 under a national scheme of the President’s Award for Creativity fund, managed by the national Arts Council Malta. Analysis of this data was used to inform the new national cultural policy on the implantation of the Arts on Prescription scheme in Malta.
My concern in this article is on the structure-agency interplay in the arts in Malta. This explor... more My concern in this article is on the structure-agency interplay in the arts in Malta. This exploration is couched within sociological discourse on the arts, presenting an exemplary case of studying structural factors influencing art practices as well as the reflexive deliberations of artists. One way to explain this dichotomy is by drawing from a recent and transnational cultural research project entitled A National Oasis?, conducted by BJCEM (Biennale of Young Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean), on the geopolitical peculiarities of the artistic scenes in the “peripheral” states of San Marino, Montenegro, Kosovo, and Malta. Such analysis explores discourses on “periphery”, to make sense of such geo-cultural locations as polemical fields in relation to their dis/similar cultural, economic and political morphology. This article focuses exclusively on Malta, without assuming a lineal trajectory of cultural conditions especially in light of diverse economic and political histories.
In Debattista, A, Vella ,G. Arts Council Malta, 2017, Perspectives on Cultural Participation in M... more In Debattista, A, Vella ,G. Arts Council Malta, 2017, Perspectives on Cultural Participation in Malta, Arts Council Malta, Progress Press:B'Kara
Public opinion data regarding environmental concerns are central to a better understanding of the... more Public opinion data regarding environmental concerns are central to a better understanding of the effects of social movements in sensitising environmental issues, and at times changing political decisions. In August 2021, Transport Malta issued an expression of interest for the design, construction and operation of a 700-berth yacht marina in the bay of Marsaskala, a fast-growing locality in the south east of the Maltese Islands. A social movement made up of residents, non-residents, an environmental NGO and local stakeholders organised a number of protests following the publication of the marina plans. The aim of this article is to identify underlying factors causing individuals' concerns on the proposed development. It explores the environmental movement surrounding this concern and analyses survey data on public opinion. It does so to better understand the extent of specific areas of impact that the proposed marina would have on the community of Marsaskala. Specifically, it focuses on how this would impinge on the everyday life of citizens. Results point to the social, environmental and economic impacts that this development would have, particularly on the community infrastructure of the locality of Marsaskala. Discussion focuses on how the ongoing impact on public opinion and protest, not only on mobilising public opinion but impacting political decisions.
Citation: Mathieu, C & Visanich, V. (2022). Accomplishing cultural policy in Europe: Connections ... more Citation: Mathieu, C & Visanich, V. (2022). Accomplishing cultural policy in Europe: Connections and Illustrations. In C. Mathieu and V.Visanich (eds.), Accomplishing Cultural Policy in Europe: Financing, Governance and Responsiveness (pp.1-16), United Kingdom: Routledge.
Chapter 1: Accomplishing Cultural Policy in Europe: Connections and Illustrations
Christopher Mathieu and Valerie Visanich
Abstract
This chapter develops the concept of “accomplishing” cultural policy and discusses it as an anchor-point for the chapters appearing in this volume. The accomplishing approach marks an interest in understanding the total reach of cultural policy from its formulation, to its facilitation of and impact on the creation of cultural offerings, to how these meet audiences, to evaluation. The conceptualisation also sees accomplishing as an ongoing process, with origins at different governmental levels, taking place across different artistic fields in non-linear manners. It is thus not reducible to a policy cycle or single project. This chapter outlines how the selections in the volume focusing on different dimensions or phases of this wider, ongoing process in a variety of artistic and cultural genres illustrate the nuances and variations in how accomplishing cultural policy across Europe takes place. Simultaneously the studies also highlight similarities and differences across contexts in governance procedures, how financing is used and its impact, and various forms and relationships of responsiveness, such as artist’s and cultural creators’ responsiveness to policy signals, policy-makers responsiveness to trends and social groups, and artists and cultural creators’ responsiveness to audiences and participants.
As Covid-19 impacts mount, Bauman’s notion of liquidity has become ever more fitting to describe ... more As Covid-19 impacts mount, Bauman’s notion of liquidity has become ever more fitting to describe the cultural, economic, and social uncertainties experienced on a global scale in the current times [1]. The liquefaction is not only in the rapidity and mutability of a virus, but also in the uncertainty of the duration on the pandemic. Consequently, there are substantial shifts and disruptions in the everyday life of individuals, principally as employees attempt to shift their work practices online. For others who cannot do this shift, they are shouldering financial burdens through loss of income. Artists are one social group of workers who often engage in non-standard employment terms, including working to the demands of the market and economic conditions.peer-reviewe
The maxim small is beautiful is often applied to small-island states. It is also a fact that smal... more The maxim small is beautiful is often applied to small-island states. It is also a fact that small islands are often faced with vulnerabilities and challenges for their remoteness and insularities. This article examines such peculiarities of small states focusing on art practices from a sociological approach. Can sociological investigation ignore the contextual factors, the limitations and challenges of a small geographical territory and its influence on art production and practices? This was one of the main questions tackled by the BJCEM (Biennale of Young Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean) transnational cultural project, involving an ethnographic study with artists in various small states. This full cultural immersion in Euro-Mediterranean small states aimed at mapping the differences and similarities in constraints and challenges of artistic practices. The working sessions of the BJCEM programme A National Oasis? A Transnational Research Programme aimed at deepening curat...
Education, Individualization and Neoliberalism questions the individualization process in educati... more Education, Individualization and Neoliberalism questions the individualization process in education in the Anglo-American context and analyses how this process is applied in the everyday life of millennials with tertiary education in Southern Europe. Valerie Visanich explores the close affinity of this concept to neoliberalism in contemporary societies, specifically by focusing on changes in education and employment. Using Beck & Beck-Gernsheim’s concept of individualization to refer to increased freedom in one’s life choices yet at the same time increased risks, Visanich unpacks the trajectories of life experiences of tertiary educated millennials in the contemporary neoliberal Anglo-American setting in relation to recent cultural and socio-economic changes. She examines how this individualized mode is adopted and adapted in countries across Southern Europe including Italy, Spain, Portugal, Malta and Greece – in locations where cultural conditions habitually cushion-out, often by f...
This article refers to nostalgia and the way it is triggered by emotion-bearing symbolic structur... more This article refers to nostalgia and the way it is triggered by emotion-bearing symbolic structures and sensory experiences, to make sense of how these are played out in cultural engagement. It examines how the popular cultural event of the festa in Malta, an annual village feast of the patron saint, acts as a platform for nostalgic experiences. With reference to Jeffrey Alexander’s ‘iconic consciousness’, the arguments brought forward are positioned broadly within the notion of symbolic and sensory dynamics during the festa. Additionally, the collective shared experiences of festa enthusiasts, in a Durkheimian tradition, are explored to obtain knowledge on how they make sense of their past and present meanings as well as their feelings towards the village saint and the festa in general. Through the use of interviews conducted with persons who are actively engaged in this event, this article understands how their sense of belonging, both in terms of the material and non-material cul...
Recently, the notion of arts as therapy has been of growing interest to sociologists. The aim of ... more Recently, the notion of arts as therapy has been of growing interest to sociologists. The aim of this article is to evaluate community-based arts funded projects in terms of their priorities and effectiveness and discuss possibilities for enabling Arts on Prescription schemes in Malta. Thematically, this article explores discourse on the potential of the arts on promoting well-being. Methodologically, this article draws on primary data collected from focus groups, interviews and an online survey with project leaders and artists of funded arts projects targeting mental health, disability or old age. Specifically, this research evaluates all national funded community-based arts projects in Malta between 2014 to 2018 under a national scheme of the President’s Award for Creativity fund, managed by the national Arts Council Malta. Analysis of this data was used to inform the new national cultural policy on the implantation of the Arts on Prescription scheme in Malta.
My concern in this article is on the structure-agency interplay in the arts in Malta. This explor... more My concern in this article is on the structure-agency interplay in the arts in Malta. This exploration is couched within sociological discourse on the arts, presenting an exemplary case of studying structural factors influencing art practices as well as the reflexive deliberations of artists. One way to explain this dichotomy is by drawing from a recent and transnational cultural research project entitled A National Oasis?, conducted by BJCEM (Biennale of Young Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean), on the geopolitical peculiarities of the artistic scenes in the “peripheral” states of San Marino, Montenegro, Kosovo, and Malta. Such analysis explores discourses on “periphery”, to make sense of such geo-cultural locations as polemical fields in relation to their dis/similar cultural, economic and political morphology. This article focuses exclusively on Malta, without assuming a lineal trajectory of cultural conditions especially in light of diverse economic and political histories.
In Debattista, A, Vella ,G. Arts Council Malta, 2017, Perspectives on Cultural Participation in M... more In Debattista, A, Vella ,G. Arts Council Malta, 2017, Perspectives on Cultural Participation in Malta, Arts Council Malta, Progress Press:B'Kara
Strategies on audience development have become central to cultural debates in Malta. Such interes... more Strategies on audience development have become central to cultural debates in Malta. Such interest stems partly from Malta's current low rate of participation in cultural events. While there has been a rising interest in analysing cultural consumption and audiences quantitatively, the modes of agency of cultural participants, who reflexively make sense of events differently, have received inadequate attention. This article tackles this gap by presenting empirical results of a recent qualitative study on audiences' reflexivity for the National Centre for Creativity in Valletta, Malta. The contribution of this article lies in the fact that it provides an epistemological understanding of the meanings and feelings of audiences for engagement, or lack of it, in cultural participation at the National Centre for Creativity in Malta. Results presented in this article were used as guiding frame in the process of rebranding this national Centre as a creative space in the capital city of Malta.
A public lecture organised by Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti, at Victor Pasmore’s Gallery in Valle... more A public lecture organised by Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti, at Victor Pasmore’s Gallery in Valletta on February 21st, 2017.
In recent years, the arts have gained increasing importance as part of strategies designed for cu... more In recent years, the arts have gained increasing importance as part of strategies designed for culture-led urban regeneration. The general topic for the 10th Midterm Conference is the connection between the arts, the city and the processes that link them, to examine the intricate interweave of aesthetic, social, cultural and economic dynamics in cities. Primarily, the conference in Malta intends to offer a terrain for debates on the theoretical development of sociology of culture and of the arts, in particular the role of arts and aesthetics in city life. Specific attention is paid to theoretical paradigms on the arts and cultural regeneration and their implications for sociologists, anthropologists, cultural policy makers and planning practitioners. The conference aims to stimulate debates on the relationship and/or conflict between the ‘creative class’ who look at creativity as a tool for pursuing socio-economic goals, those who treat creativity either as an end in itself or as a partaking in wider cultural, social and ecological transformations, those who activate creativity in relation to solidarities and urban cultures, and the meanings of everyday creativity for local communities. Researchers on the European Capitals of Culture are invited to contribute to the discussion on the impact of strategic involvements and investments in artistic projects in cities, whether from approaches stipulating a need to invest in the 'creative economy' (or critiques of the neoliberalization process involved therein), from approaches aiming to reorient urban development according to goals of e.g. 'cultural planning' and/or 'cultural democracy', or from transdisciplinary approaches aiming for sustainable urban development. Moreover, on a more micro level, this conference aims to present discussions on the reflexive, transversal and/or autonomous characters of culture as well as the role of artists and cultural audiences in urban change, their shared experiences of contested meanings of artworks and their engagement in cultural participation. This conference brings together academics and researchers from areas of sociology of the arts, cultural anthropology, urban planning, cultural sociology, cultural studies, cultural policy and related fields. The ESA Research Networks conferences are traditionally open to other issues beyond those related directly to the main conference theme. This plasticity is highly valued since the Research Networks aim to bring together researchers and support interchange and mutual learning. For this reason, the program will be thematically broad and open for presentations to all core areas of sociology of the arts and sociology of culture.
NOTES FOR AUTHORS The abstract of approximately 300-400 words must be written in English. Please submit your abstract and full contact details as an electronic file (word.doc) not later than February 15th, 2018. The information requested during abstract submission include: 1) the name(s) of the author(s), the institutional affiliation (both university and department), mailing address and email(s); 2) title of proposed presentation or round-table/workshop; 3) area of presentation; 4) up to 3-5 keywords. Each author cannot submit more than two abstracts (as first author). Submit an abstract on the conference website www.um.edu.mt/events/10midconf2018
CALENDAR: The deadline for abstract submission is February 15th, 2018 The acceptance of abstracts will be notified by March 31st, 2018. Registration opening: April 1st, 2018 Early Bird: Till April 30th, 2018 Registration deadline: Monday 27th August. Further information and guidelines will be on the conference website. Cancellation policy: 75% until 15 May, 50% until 31 August, no refund after this date.
Transformations in Social Science Research Methods during the COVID-19 Pandemic, 2024
This volume explores how researchers made innovative use of online technologies to innovate, defi... more This volume explores how researchers made innovative use of online technologies to innovate, define, and transform research methodologies in light of the varying impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially those related to the ability to conduct qualitative research.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a radical shift in the way that people all over the world were/have been able to live, work, study, and conduct their daily lives. Academics and other professionals who routinely engage in research were no exception. The sudden, continued, and uneven need for health mandates calling for physical distancing added a particular layer of complexity for those who used research methods that typically required face-to-face interactions. Continued technological developments associated with the Internet had already given rise to ongoing debates on innovative methodological thinking and practices. The COVID-19 pandemic has further accentuated how indispensable the internet has become for the private and public lives of those with access to it, including for their employment, education, leisure, and social interactions. For those fortunate enough to have access to them, communication software such as Zoom and Google Meet have also become indispensable digital resources for researchers seeking to continue conducting research during lockdowns and quarantines, and beyond. More than ever, researchers are finding it useful, even necessary, to equip themselves with online research tools in order to be able to continue conducting their fieldwork.
Drawing on research and case studies from around the world, this volume serves as a guidebook for those interested in attuning their own research methods to a world still struggling to grapple with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Education, Individualization and Neoliberalism questions the individualization process in educati... more Education, Individualization and Neoliberalism questions the individualization process in education in the Anglo-American context and analyses how this process is applied in the everyday life of millennials with tertiary education in Southern Europe. Valerie Visanich explores the close affinity of this concept to neoliberalism in contemporary societies, specifically by focusing on changes in education and employment. Using Beck & Beck-Gernsheim's concept of individualization to refer to increased freedom in one's life choices yet at the same time increased risks, Visanich unpacks the trajectories of life experiences of tertiary educated millennials in the contemporary neoliberal Anglo-American setting in relation to recent cultural and socio-economic changes. She examines how this individualized mode is adopted and adapted in countries across Southern Europe including Italy, Spain, Portugal, Malta and Greece – in locations where cultural conditions habitually cushion-out, often by family networks and patronage, some of the burdens of being young today.
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Papers by Valerie Visanich
Chapter 1: Accomplishing Cultural Policy in Europe: Connections and Illustrations
Christopher Mathieu and Valerie Visanich
Abstract
This chapter develops the concept of “accomplishing” cultural policy and discusses it as an anchor-point for the chapters appearing in this volume. The accomplishing approach marks an interest in understanding the total reach of cultural policy from its formulation, to its facilitation of and impact on the creation of cultural offerings, to how these meet audiences, to evaluation. The conceptualisation also sees accomplishing as an ongoing process, with origins at different governmental levels, taking place across different artistic fields in non-linear manners. It is thus not reducible to a policy cycle or single project. This chapter outlines how the selections in the volume focusing on different dimensions or phases of this wider, ongoing process in a variety of artistic and cultural genres illustrate the nuances and variations in how accomplishing cultural policy across Europe takes place. Simultaneously the studies also highlight similarities and differences across contexts in governance procedures, how financing is used and its impact, and various forms and relationships of responsiveness, such as artist’s and cultural creators’ responsiveness to policy signals, policy-makers responsiveness to trends and social groups, and artists and cultural creators’ responsiveness to audiences and participants.
transnational cultural research project entitled A National Oasis?, conducted by BJCEM (Biennale of Young Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean), on the geopolitical peculiarities of the artistic scenes in the “peripheral” states of San Marino, Montenegro, Kosovo, and Malta. Such analysis explores discourses on “periphery”, to make sense of such
geo-cultural locations as polemical fields in relation to their dis/similar cultural, economic and political morphology. This article focuses exclusively on Malta, without assuming a lineal trajectory of cultural conditions especially in light of diverse economic and political
histories.
Chapter 1: Accomplishing Cultural Policy in Europe: Connections and Illustrations
Christopher Mathieu and Valerie Visanich
Abstract
This chapter develops the concept of “accomplishing” cultural policy and discusses it as an anchor-point for the chapters appearing in this volume. The accomplishing approach marks an interest in understanding the total reach of cultural policy from its formulation, to its facilitation of and impact on the creation of cultural offerings, to how these meet audiences, to evaluation. The conceptualisation also sees accomplishing as an ongoing process, with origins at different governmental levels, taking place across different artistic fields in non-linear manners. It is thus not reducible to a policy cycle or single project. This chapter outlines how the selections in the volume focusing on different dimensions or phases of this wider, ongoing process in a variety of artistic and cultural genres illustrate the nuances and variations in how accomplishing cultural policy across Europe takes place. Simultaneously the studies also highlight similarities and differences across contexts in governance procedures, how financing is used and its impact, and various forms and relationships of responsiveness, such as artist’s and cultural creators’ responsiveness to policy signals, policy-makers responsiveness to trends and social groups, and artists and cultural creators’ responsiveness to audiences and participants.
transnational cultural research project entitled A National Oasis?, conducted by BJCEM (Biennale of Young Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean), on the geopolitical peculiarities of the artistic scenes in the “peripheral” states of San Marino, Montenegro, Kosovo, and Malta. Such analysis explores discourses on “periphery”, to make sense of such
geo-cultural locations as polemical fields in relation to their dis/similar cultural, economic and political morphology. This article focuses exclusively on Malta, without assuming a lineal trajectory of cultural conditions especially in light of diverse economic and political
histories.
Primarily, the conference in Malta intends to offer a terrain for debates on the theoretical development of sociology of culture and of the arts, in particular the role of arts and aesthetics in city life. Specific attention is paid to theoretical paradigms on the arts and cultural regeneration and their implications for sociologists, anthropologists, cultural policy makers and planning practitioners. The conference aims to stimulate debates on the relationship and/or conflict between the ‘creative class’ who look at creativity as a tool for pursuing socio-economic goals, those who treat creativity either as an end in itself or as a partaking in wider cultural, social and ecological transformations, those who activate creativity in relation to solidarities and urban cultures, and the meanings of everyday creativity for local communities. Researchers on the European Capitals of Culture are invited to contribute to the discussion on the impact of strategic involvements and investments in artistic projects in cities, whether from approaches stipulating a need to invest in the 'creative economy' (or critiques of the neoliberalization process involved therein), from approaches aiming to reorient urban development according to goals of e.g. 'cultural planning' and/or 'cultural democracy', or from transdisciplinary approaches aiming for sustainable urban development.
Moreover, on a more micro level, this conference aims to present discussions on the reflexive, transversal and/or autonomous characters of culture as well as the role of artists and cultural audiences in urban change, their shared experiences of contested meanings of artworks and their engagement in cultural participation.
This conference brings together academics and researchers from areas of sociology of the arts, cultural anthropology, urban planning, cultural sociology, cultural studies, cultural policy and related fields.
The ESA Research Networks conferences are traditionally open to other issues beyond those related directly to the main conference theme. This plasticity is highly valued since the Research Networks aim to bring together researchers and support interchange and mutual learning. For this reason, the program will be thematically broad and open for presentations to all core areas of sociology of the arts and sociology of culture.
NOTES FOR AUTHORS
The abstract of approximately 300-400 words must be written in English. Please submit your abstract and full contact details as an electronic file (word.doc) not later than February 15th, 2018. The information requested during abstract submission include:
1) the name(s) of the author(s), the institutional affiliation (both university and department), mailing address and email(s);
2) title of proposed presentation or round-table/workshop;
3) area of presentation;
4) up to 3-5 keywords. Each author cannot submit more than two abstracts (as first author).
Submit an abstract on the conference website www.um.edu.mt/events/10midconf2018
CALENDAR:
The deadline for abstract submission is February 15th, 2018
The acceptance of abstracts will be notified by March 31st, 2018.
Registration opening: April 1st, 2018
Early Bird: Till April 30th, 2018
Registration deadline: Monday 27th August.
Further information and guidelines will be on the conference website.
Cancellation policy: 75% until 15 May, 50% until 31 August, no refund after this date.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a radical shift in the way that people all over the world were/have been able to live, work, study, and conduct their daily lives. Academics and other professionals who routinely engage in research were no exception. The sudden, continued, and uneven need for health mandates calling for physical distancing added a particular layer of complexity for those who used research methods that typically required face-to-face interactions. Continued technological developments associated with the Internet had already given rise to ongoing debates on innovative methodological thinking and practices. The COVID-19 pandemic has further accentuated how indispensable the internet has become for the private and public lives of those with access to it, including for their employment, education, leisure, and social interactions. For those fortunate enough to have access to them, communication software such as Zoom and Google Meet have also become indispensable digital resources for researchers seeking to continue conducting research during lockdowns and quarantines, and beyond. More than ever, researchers are finding it useful, even necessary, to equip themselves with online research tools in order to be able to continue conducting their fieldwork.
Drawing on research and case studies from around the world, this volume serves as a guidebook for those interested in attuning their own research methods to a world still struggling to grapple with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.