Social Sciences and the Cultural Sector in England

Abstract

Drawing on a literature review of over two hundred items, this commentary describes what drove the English cultural sector’s interest in the social sciences from the 1980s, and the social sciences’ interest in the cultural sector. The social sciences offered the cultural sector the means to evidence and advocate its assertions of social and economic impact in line with government requirements. Their economic valuations and sociological analyses of its patterns of employment were both written on commission and independently. But despite the potential for complementary collaborations, the relationship between the social sciences and the cultural sector has been subject to the conflicting interests of the various constituencies involved. Various economists have commented on the costs of financial value being held in higher regard than human value. Perhaps this will mark a moment when cultural policy and those activities that the state-supports will become more unequivocally celebrated for adding value to society.

Collaborative strategies and museum practice: An inquiry into the concept of relationships as social capital for Aotearoa New Zealand museums

“…This position assumes that the more the social body is educated and involved in the cultural discourse, the more conscious, dynamic and thriving the society as a whole will be. Sociologists and economists have often scrutinised the beneficial role of cultural organisations (Selwood 2021), and the debate between social sciences and the cultural sector shows significant dissimilarities in the interpretation of the concepts of value and impact.…”