K2SP 3265 - Economics and Culture:What is the value of culture and what role does culture play in shaping and me

This course aim to understand the correlation between Culture an economics.

In the section of the course taught by Nathalie Moureau (the 4 first sessions) an introduction to the economics of culture is provided. The specific characteristics of cultural markets and their tendency to evolve toward a star-dominated system will be analyzed. To this end, the nature of cultural goods, methods for assessing their quality, the role of experience in shaping tastes and demand, as well as the strategies adopted by actors to mitigate the high risks of failure inherent in this “prototype” economy, will be studied. The course will also present the economic rationales that justify government intervention in the cultural sector, particularly through Baumol’s cost disease. Finally, it will address the organization of cultural industries as an oligopoly with a competitive fringe and the challenges posed by digital technologies.

The second part of the course will focus on debating the value of culture—including the arts, theatre, literature, and dance—by examining its intersection with the human sciences.

Particular attention will be paid to how a cultural lens allows for a re-examination of concepts of value and, in turn, enables an exploration of the cultural identities of the actors involved.

Two main areas will be addressed:

• the history of traditional dance in South Asia and the value attributed to dance;
• the contributions of the arts to the understanding, analysis, and formulation of migration policies.

For the second part of the course: a strong emphasis on discussion and interaction, during which students will be invited to prepare, discuss, and give group presentations.

A midterm exam and a participation grade

Final exam: an essay with two questions to choose from, based on the topics covered in class and drawing on the course bibliography

A selection of excerpts to be read, which will be posted online.