Culture and cultural policies

The problem it addresses

The last two decades of the 20th century in Latin America were marked by diverse political junctures and left behind scenarios characterized by dictatorships with implicit forms of violence. Currently, these scenarios have been transformed as a result of the democratic struggles of that period, although political disputes fraught with explicit and symbolic violence remain.

At the beginning of this century, a wave of left-wing governments emerged in countries such as Venezuela, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Ecuador. These governments were characterized by inclusive social policies, more independent foreign policies, policies of regional integration and cooperation, and economic policies that differed from previous ones, based on a developmentalist approach and exhibiting ambiguities regarding neoliberalism. 

In the third decade of the 21st century, the region seems to be in turmoil. The new landscape has yielded electoral victories for left-wing governments in Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Chile, and Colombia. Popular demonstrations in Colombia, Ecuador, and Chile have achieved some successes, such as the proposed Constituent Assembly in Chile and the defeat of the far-right government in Brazil. 

Currently, the global context paralyzed by the pandemic has created a new wave of complex situations that have affected economic, social, environmental, political, and cultural conditions. It has fostered the expansion of inequality and the rise of authoritarian governments worldwide. Furthermore, the struggles of Indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants, women, and LGBTQIA+ communities have once again become relevant. 

Socio-technological advances, the expansion of networks, digital cultures, and artificial intelligence have generated new forms of conflict and a more complex global landscape. In response, revising and updating cultural policies in our region presents significant challenges and raises new theoretical questions that will allow us to learn from past experiences and foster greater cross-cutting integration of public policies, ensuring they are commensurate with the need to uphold a democratic political culture.

Frequently asked

To analyze the complexity of cultural policies in Latin America, we must begin by understanding the current state of these policies. As a starting point, we have posed some questions that can guide the reflection and work of this group. 

• Have new cultural policies been developed or not?
• To what extent did they differ from previous policies?
• Are there any common traits among them?
• Was an alternative model of cultural policies configured?
• Who were the main actors in cultural policies?
• What is its place in the set of government policies?
• What are the impacts of the cultural policies implemented?
• Have there been any relevant exchanges in the field of cultural policies?
• How did they address issues such as ethnicity, race, gender, and others?

Some of the main objectives of the GT 

To address these theoretical and reflective challenges, we have set ourselves the following objectives: 

• Expand the exchange between academics and scholars of cultural policies in Latin America. 
• Investigate the specific cultural policies developed in different Latin American countries. 
• Expand existing relationships with scientific and cultural organizations; cultural managers and producers; cultural agents, collectives and producers; cultural agents, collectives, networks and communities; and those responsible for public cultural policies, whether state or not. 
• Consolidate and expand relationships with academic and cultural cooperation networks and organizations. 

The processes and results of this work will be incorporated into various collaborative projects. These include the creation of a Latin American Network for Studies and Research in Cultural Policies, the organization of seminars, and the academic production of texts and works that will allow us to compare the different experiences of the countries in the region, etc.

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