This course introduces students to the topic of cultural policy and qualitative methods. We will examine what it is and how it is made. Students will be introduced to qualitative research methods including: interviewing, content analysis of documents, producing field notes, and analyzing the data captured through these methods. We will examine policy as a range of interventions from the state to the local level that involve public and/or private funding. Through a comparison of policy in Washington State and Illinois, we will examine how variations in state government structure, state resources, and demographic composition, might result in variations in their cultural policy. We will examine the role of cultural entrepreneurs in shaping policy. Students will get first-hand experience interviewing guest speakers who have played key roles in Chicago's cultural life. Students will use skills learned in the class to complete a research project in which they investigate some aspect of local cultural life and identify its implications for cultural policy. This course will be valuable to students who plan to pursue careers in the cultural sector, including government agencies, private foundations, nonprofit organizations, or in community development. It will also provide useful tools to students interested policy innovation. The topics are broad enough in scope to provide a useful introduction to students interested in drawing connections between cultural and other forms of policy.
