1st Edition
Cultural Work and Creative Subjectivity Recentralising the Artist Critique and Social Networks in the Cultural Industries
1. Introduction: cultural work and creative subjectivity Part 1. Paradigms of creative subjectivity 2. The ‘artist critique’ of cultural work 3. The ‘social critique’ of cultural work 4. Consumer culture and social network market Part 2. Researching creative subjectivity 5. Co-option of the social by independent designer fashion in Manchester 6. Differentiation and justification of creative careers by visual artists and writers in Shanghai 7. Constitution of creative subjectivity of artisan makers in Melbourne 8. De-professionalisation: freelancers and consumer labour in the digital media industry in Manchester and Shenzhen Part 3. Creative subjectivity and cultural policy 9. Beginning after the end: critical cultural policymaking 10. Conclusion: key findings and future research
Biography
Xin Gu is Director of the Master of Cultural and Creative Industries and Senior Lecturer in the School of Media, Film and Journalism at Monash University, Australia.
'This book is a major contribution to the current hot debate on cultural work. It asks questions not just about exploitation and sacrificial labour or about diversity and representation. It goes beyond these to ask what’s at stake in cultural work? What values do cultural workers bring and how do they sustain in increasingly challenging circumstances? After the end of the creative industries, what is the way forward for art and culture and those who dedicate their lives to producing them?' Justin O'Connor, University of South Australia
'A brave undertaking, analysing the growing creative economy discourse and policy frames of independent cultural work, this book comes as a highly recommend read and will appeal to cultural workers and researchers alike, helping to understand the continuing struggles and the strengths of the contemporary creative workforce and advocating culture and cultural work as a global public good.' Simone Wesner, International Journal of Cultural Policy
