Cultural and Media Policy Studies News and Events

Oliver Bennett's article 'Cultures of Optimism' has now been published in Cultural Sociology (OnlineFirst, April 2011). Drawing on material from a broad range of fields, the article identifies an ‘optimism of everyday life’ and proposes that it performs significant psychological, social and cultural functions. These functions are reviewed, with particular reference to psychological and physical health, family and social relationships and the achievement of goals in different contexts. The article argues that the necessity of optimism has given rise to a complex of optimism promoters, which function as agents of implicit cultural policy. The family, religious institutions, the medical profession, psychotherapists and counsellors, businesses and political leaders are, amongst others, all seen to be part of this complex.

This is the first publication arising from an ongoing enquiry that Oliver is undertaking into the institutional promotion of optimism.

We are delighted to announce that from the start of April the Centre will be welcoming Clive Gray to the team. Clive will be taking responsibility for the development of the Centre’s MA in International Cultural Policy and will be contributing to teaching and research activities within the University. Clive has published widely on the politics of cultural policy with articles in The International Journal of Cultural Policy and Cultural Trends, as well as in such politics journals as Parliamentary Affairs and Public Administration. He is currently researching issues of structure and agency in the museums and galleries sector, as well as the role of professional organisations in influencing cultural policy.

We are delighted to announce that our colleague Jeremy Ahearne has been promoted to a personal Professorship in the Department of French Studies (with effect from October 2011). Jeremy has long been closely associated with the Centre. He has co-developed new collaborative research themes (such as intellectuals and cultural policy, cultural policy and religion, and implicit cultural policy). He is also co-teaching for us this year a new module entitled ‘Cultural Policy outside Cultural Policy’.