Description

The course introduces to the economics and politics of the production of culture focusing on the basic concepts about the cultural and creative industries. These industries are analyzed in terms of the theory about the production of culture.

The course outlines their operation and development in an environment where the boundaries among different industries are blurred as communications, technologies, entertainment, education, knowledge and information management, merge and acquire new forms.

The course analyzes the development of the notion about the cultural industry into the concept about the creative industries, the debate on this development as well as its economic and political aspects, and the multifaceted importance of the various approaches. It also outlines the main features of the cultural and creative industries as well as of the goods and the services they provide.

Furthermore, the course analyzes the different models and types of the cultural and creative industries. In this context, it outlines the construction and development of the audiences by these industries as well as their relations with authors and artists, being a par excellence modern system for managing creativity and innovation by producing and circulating symbolic forms.

The course is offered in English for the purposes of the ERASMUS+ and other international programmes of the School.

Access to the course materials, literature, etc. through E-Learning at AUTh (Erasmus students need to register with the AUTh and get an institutional e-mail account).

Main issues covered – general syllabus

1. Introduction - course presentation and outline
2. The system for the production of culture: main aspects
3. Features of the cultural goods and services
4. Peculiarities of the cultural and creative industries
5. Theory and research on the cultural and creative industries: the producers
6. Theory and research on the cultural and creative industries: intermediaries and audiences
7. Development and change of the cultural and creative industries
8. Policy and the cultural industries

Objectives

• Upon successful completion of the course students are expected to understand the main features of the cultural and creative industries.
• To introduce the analysis of the economic, political, and ideological functions of the cultural and creative industries.
• To contribute for a better understanding of the development and most recent changes in the system for the production of culture.
• To present the basic dimensions of the policy in the field of the production and circulation of cultural goods and services.

Textbook

David Hesmondhalgh. The Cultural Industries (3rd edition). Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore: SAGE, 2013.

Suggested literature

The suggested literature is modified and customized, depending on the needs for the in-class presentations by students. The following literature is indicative. Some texts are accessible through the campus net, while others are available in the library:

• Justin O'Connor. The Cultural and Creative Industries: A Literature Review (2nd ed.). Newcastle: Creativity, Culture and Education, 2010.
• David Hesmondhalgh. Cultural and creative industries. In T. Bennett & J. Frow (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of cultural analysis (pp. 552-569). London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi, Singapore: SAGE, 2008.
• Richard Peterson & N. Anand. The production of culture perspective. Annual Review of Sociology, 30 (2004), pp. 311-334.
• Terry Flew. The Creative Industries. Culture and Policy. Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore: SAGE, 2012.
• John Hartley (ed.). Creative Industries. Wiley-Blackwell, 2005.
• Pierre Bourdieu. The Field of Cultural Production. Columbia University Press, 1993.
• Richard E. Caves. Creative Industries: Contracts between Art and Commerce. Harvard University Press, 2002.

Evaluation

Erasmus students are invited to participate actively in the course, by presenting and discussing analyses on the cultural and creative industries as well as on the cultural policy in their home countries. All presentations are prepared with the support of the tutors who provide the necessary literature. The evaluation of the active participation corresponds to 40% of the final grade.

After the end of the semester, students are evaluated through a written exam (multiple choice test) corresponding to 60% of the final grade.

Information about the next exam session, exam dates and essay due-dates can be found in the announcements page (provided that the exam dates have been announced).