Cultural Rights and Cultural Industries – Obligations and Opportunities (Presentation)
M. Sharon Jeannotte, Affiliated Researcher at the Centre on Governance of the University of Ottawa
In English | Simultaneous interpretation in French and ASL
In 1976, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights came into force. Canada is a state party to this international human rights instrument, but it is not widely known, nor are the nature of the cultural rights it describes. This presentation will examine the overall themes of equity, diversity and inclusion through the lens of the three broad categories of cultural rights covered by the Covenant – civil, participatory, and identity-based – and will unpack how these are being applied in the context of the cultural industries. Moving beyond obligations, it will also discuss how the present moment in history – rife with divisions among groups, fears about growing inequality and climate change, and awash with disinformation – provides an opportunity for Canadian cultural industries to increase their societal impact and influence by focusing on a broader recognition of individual and collective cultural rights in their programming and practices.
M. Sharon Jeannotte (Elle/she/her)
Sharon Jeannotte is an Affiliated Researcher at the Centre on Governance of the University of Ottawa. She has published research on a variety of subjects, including cultural policy and social cohesion, the role of culture in building sustainable communities, culture and volunteering, immigration and cultural citizenship, cultural mapping as a tool for place-making, cultural tourism, cultural indicators at the local level, and provincial / territorial cultural policy and administration in Canada.
