MAPPING CULTURAL PARTICIPATION: THE EFFECT OF FRICTIONS, DISTANCES AND DISASTERS

In today's world, the frequency and impact of disruptive events, such as extreme natural disasters, the enduring effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, wars, and societal polarisation, have highlighted the necessity for communities to be better prepared for these challenges. Attention has increasingly turned to social processes, including social cohesion and capital, as vital tools for enhancing community resilience. Concurrently, research and policy-making recognise the importance of culture and cultural participation in activating these social processes within contemporary communities. As the neo-liberal approach that has until now dominated the scene of cultural policies is being increasingly criticised over concerns of social elitism and inequality, scholars, in looking for more just policy models, are emphasising the necessity to deepen current understanding of the spatial dimension of cultural consumption as well as advocating for the urgent need of more comprehensive data on cultural phenomena. This thesis fits into this context, experimenting with data never used before in studying cultural participation phenomena and grounding the analysis in a spatial context. Chapter 2 explores the spatial patterns of cultural consumption in Milan, Italy, using high-frequency location-based data (GPS traces). The study reveals a core-periphery divide, where proximity to cultural amenities significantly influences participation, especially among those less accustomed to cultural activities. This chapter introduces a novel methodological approach and emphasises the need for evidence-based cultural policies to reduce spatial inequalities and improve access. Chapter 3 builds on these findings by examining six French cities. It investigates the causal relationship between proximity to cultural amenities and cultural participation across different socio-economic groups. While proximity positively impacts cultural consumption, socio-economic factors like income and education play a more significant role. The chapter argues for cultural policies that address both spatial and socio-economic disparities. Chapter 4 examines the impact of natural disasters on civic and cultural participation in England. It finds that flooding significantly increases long-term civic participation and enhances the variety of cultural activities, though it does not significantly impact overall cultural participation levels. Taken together, these results call for further investigation of cultural phenomena from a spatial perspective and for the use of non-traditional data to capture the complexity of cultural participation and inform comprehensive, evidence-based policies. This research was supported by the REDI Consortium, which provided financial support for my doctoral studies.