Re-Envisioning Finnish Cultural Policy: A Decolonial Approach for Systemic Equity and Implications for Arts Management Practices
Doctoral project of Laura Valoma
The premise of this research is that European cultural policy and arts management practices have deep colonial roots. This research aims to discover how those roots have impacted current Finnish cultural policy and contextualise policymaking and arts management practices anew through a decolonial approach. The decolonial approach begins with examining the histories of Finnish cultural policies and current policymaking, the perspectives of policymakers, and the arts and cultural sector. This will reveal a detailed account of Finnish cultural policy, its history and present biases and inequalities, as well as strengths to further build upon.
Rooted in intersectional feminist thinking, this qualitative research will apply a radical critical policy studies approach combining intersectionality and decolonial practices. The research data consists of past and present cultural policy papers complemented by questionnaires and in-depth interviews with the field of policymaking and arts and culture, from politicians to officials and advocacy to artists. Centring systemic equity in policymaking through decolonial practices will address power imbalances, issues of representation and social injustice. The implications for arts management practices and the cultural field at large will include social cohesion, diversified cultural participation and, ultimately, a socially sustainable cultural field reflecting the diversity of Finnish society.
The results will suggest practical solutions such as developing new equity indicators and policy monitoring for sustaining diversity and systemic equity within policymaking. Thus, with a decolonial approach, the research strives to contribute to social justice by implementing systemic equity into cultural policymaking and arts management practices.
Keywords: cultural policy, decolonisation, equity, intersectionality, arts management
Laura Valoma is a doctoral researcher in the Research Study Programme at the MuTri Doctoral School.
Future doctors in music
We have approximately 150 doctoral students enrolled at the Sibelius Academy. This blog offers a view to their research projects.
The doctoral students are a part of a research community which is a unique combination of artistic activities, education, and research.
Their projects cover a wide spectrum of topics in the realm of music, combining musical practices and different research approaches.
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