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The Outside Interests of the UK Cultural Agencies. Dave Griffiths University Of Manchester/CRESC. Quangos (Quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisatons).
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The Outside Interests of the UK Cultural Agencies Dave Griffiths University Of Manchester/CRESC
Quangos(Quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisatons) “the large range of bodies of appointed, non-elected, non-civil service people running things, overseeing things, or advising about things, and usually controlling or spending public money” (Marr: 1995)
Quango Literature • Skelcher and Davis’ (1995) demographical study into local board members • Robinson and Shaw’s (1999) demographial study into North East local board members • Both found that white middle-aged, middle-class men were The norm • Both found evidence of a self-appointing local elite
Types of capital • Social Capital – associations and networks with individuals and institutions • Cultural Capital – knowledge of cultural practices and norms • Economic Capital – ownership of cash, property or other economical position • Symbolic Capital – reputation, skills and expertise respected by others
Elite studies • Useem’s 1970’s research into the corporate worlds ‘Inner Circle’ • Scott’s 1980’s and 1990’s research into the ‘capitalist classes’ • Both found business elite use symbolic capital to underpin their economic capital • Both found cultural capital underpinned access to this elite
Quango & Elites Literature • Both believe that a closed centre exists • Both believe that social capital is used to access this centre • Elite literature suggests cultural and symbolic capital allows access • Quango literature suggests social and economic capital allows access
Dataset • Department of Media, Culture and Sport (DCMS) executive quangos • 45 agencies employing 15,000 individuals and spending £1.2 billion a year (2005/06) • Address all forms of UK culture from museums and galleries, regional cultural agencies, public access to literature and music, sports, films, architecture and heritage – even drinking and gambling
Sample • 767 individuals • 63% male, average age 58 • Over 11,000 pieces of information • Collected from April 2006 to January 2007 Press releases, websites, annual reports, registers of members’ interests, Who’s Who, Debrett’s People of Today …
Key Findings • Distinction between regional-based and London-based institutions • Distinction between types of London-based institutions • London-based museums occupy similar social and cultural spaces
Organisational differences • National organisations bridge cultural capital through its social capital • Regional organisations bridge cultural capital through its social capital • London museums utilise cultural and symbolic capital for its social capital
London-regional distinctions • Museums more likely to be linked to charities outside the UK than charities working in the UK outside of London • Museums more likely to be linked to international organisations than regional or local bodies outside of London • Of the 767 board members, only 1 has links to Wales and only 1 to Northern Ireland
Economic capital • Economic positions show sparse networks with few interlocks, if any • Only Employment network shows signs of influence • Only 1 in 3 work for a profit-making organisation • 1 in 6 work in academia • Cultural capital more important than economic capital, even in employment network
Cultural capital • Cultural capital important to London-based organisations, not regional organisations • However, symbolic capital underpins the forms of cultural capital which are influential
Symbolic capital • Social capital – Symbolic capital influences social capital of museums • Cultural capital – Symbolic capital influences cultural capital of museums • Financial capital – Symbolic capital influences other effect of financial capital for museums • Symbolic capital has no real influence over institutions outside of London
Summary • Economic capital holds no impact over DCMS executive quangos • Social capital important to regional bodies • Cultural and symbolic capital important to London-based instituions • Therefore, regional bodies acting like quango elite • London-based organisations acting like corporate elite
Conclusion • Despite lack of influence of financial capital, elite construction mirrors that of financial elite • Evidence that competing elites exists in different spheres, which suggests why quango literature is contridactory • Evidence that boards are self-appointing, with organisational structure appearing to outweigh departmental procedures david.griffiths@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk