Cultural, communication and media aspects of contemporary social processes: Towards sustainable cultural development – CULTDEV

The aim of the CULTDEV project is to create a systematic scientific insight into the processes of integrating Croatian culture into the European cultural space and into global processes of cultural and communication development. The focus is on exploring cultural and media policy, its cycles, processes, changes and development tendencies, and contemporary cultural practices. Research tracks how cultural practices are shaped when exposed to international political, economic, and technological processes. Culture and communication are seen as key elements of social development and as basic social processes.

During 2023, members of the project team published nine scientific and professional contributions in scientific journals and books, 7 of which are indexed in WOS/Scopus journals. They were also the authors of one author’s book, published in 2023, Complete Impact Assessment of Interventions in the Field of Cultural Heritage – SoPHIA Model, and were the editors of a special issue of the scientific journal Media Studies Vol. 13, 26 (‘Platformisation of cultural and audio-visual sectors in the European Union: new policies for new stakeholders’). A number of scientific contributions accepted for publication in 2024 have also been prepared. On the scientific book Digital Transformation and Cultural Policies in Europe, to be published in early 2024 by Routledge, team members collaborated as editors and authors of several chapters.

During 2023, team members had 15 presentations at international conferences and foreign universities relevant to research activities on the CULTDEV project. In December 2023, an international round table “Big challenges for small cinemas” was organized in Zagreb. The international postgraduate summer school Political Economies of the Media organized by IRMO and the University of Ljubljana was also organized. (IUC, Dubrovnik 11–15 September 2023)

Cooperation was also achieved within a number of EU projects applied for or in which members of the CULTDEV team participate: “Rapids and backwaters – Adapting fast and slow to a digital cultural turn”, “Media education is important.MOV”, “New public culture and spaces of sociability”, Horizon Europe project ‘Increasing the international competitiveness of the film industry in small European markets’ – CRESCINE, Media Pluralism Monitor, COST actions “Platform Work Inclusion Living Lab (P-WILL)” and “Grassroots of Digital Europe (GRADE)”, etc.

Project team members participated in advisory expert groups and in the development of analytical bases for public policies at the international and national/local level. Aleksandra Uzelac was elected to the fourth cycle of the EU/UNESCO Expert Facility 2023-2026 “Advancing evidence-based policies and actions, and supporting policy making to enhance the contribution of creative sectors and industries to sustainable development”. Jaka Primorac participated in the work related to the Compendium of Cultural Policies & Trends, an international digital platform that continuously brings an overview of the situation in cultural policies in Europe. Ana Žuvela participated in the development of the Cultural Development Plan of the City of Zagreb 2022 – 2030.

Team members are active members of editorial boards or advisory boards in several international journals: Dialogues on Digital Society (SAGE), Work Organisation, Labour & Globalisation (Pluto Journals) and The European Journal of Cultural Management and Policy.