Strategic Studies of Culture

Strategic Studies of Culture

Designing a Cultural Governance Model: A Comparative Study of Cultural Policies in Iran and France

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
زهرا خلجی 1
سیدرضا صالحی امیری 2
Ayoobi, Hojatollah Ayoobi, Hojatollah 3
محمدباقر نوبخت 4
فاطمه عزیز آبادی 5
1 PhD in Cultural Management and Planning, Department of Cultural Management, Faculty of Management and Economics, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran. Email: Khalaji.zahra90@gmail.com
2 Associate Professor, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran. (Corresponding author) Email: r-salehi@srbiau.ac.ir
3 Associate Professor, University of Tehran, Faculty of World Studies, Tehran, Iran. Email: hayyobi@ut.ac.ir
4 Professor, Center for Development and Foresight Research, Tehran, Iran. Email: journaldfrc73@gmail.com
5 Associate Professor, Islamic Azad University, Tehran Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran. f.a.farahani@srbiau.ac.ir
10.22083/scsj.2026.519888.1277
Abstract
Introduction: Cultural policymaking is a form of macro-level policymaking that plays a significant role in promoting the public interest and achieving national cultural objectives. In the context of globalization and expanding transnational interactions, culture has become an important component of soft power, national identity, and sustainable development. Consequently, the effectiveness of cultural governance increasingly depends on coherent, participatory, and efficient mechanisms for cultural policymaking, implementation, and evaluation. Iran and France represent two distinctive approaches to cultural policymaking. While Iran’s cultural policies have largely emphasized the preservation of religious and ideological values and the promotion of cultural identity within the country, France has developed a more outward-oriented approach that emphasizes cultural diplomacy, the international promotion of the French language and culture, investment in cultural and creative industries, international cultural cooperation, festivals, and cultural institutions. Despite these differences, both countries share several policy instruments, including investment in cinema and culture, cultural festivals, cultural consultations, and human-resource development in the cultural sector. The present study was conducted to identify the major dimensions and components of cultural policymaking through a comparative analysis of Iran and France and to develop and validate a culturally appropriate model for strategic cultural policymaking in Iran. The study seeks to identify successful elements of the French experience while considering the cultural, social, and institutional context of Iran.
Methods: The study employed an exploratory mixed-methods approach consisting of qualitative and quantitative phases. Prior to conducting the interviews, relevant documents, laws, reports, and studies concerning the cultural policies of Iran and France were examined. These documentary findings provided the basis for developing the interview questions and identifying preliminary components of the model. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with experts and practitioners in cultural policymaking. Using purposive sampling, 17 experts were selected until theoretical saturation was achieved. Participants were required to hold at least a master’s degree, have substantial professional experience in cultural policymaking, and be familiar with cultural policymaking systems in European countries, particularly France.
In the quantitative phase, 70 cultural policymaking experts were selected through simple random sampling based on statistical power analysis. Data were collected using a questionnaire consisting of eight major constructs and 40 five-point Likert-scale items. Qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis, while Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) was used to identify the hierarchical relationships among the components. Finally, Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to validate the proposed model. MAXQDA, MICMAC, and SmartPLS software were used for data analysis.
Findings: The comparative analysis revealed significant differences alongside several common policy instruments between Iran and France. French cultural policymaking emphasizes international cultural cooperation, promotion of the French language and culture, cultural institutions and festivals, cinema, cultural education, and cultural and creative industries, whereas Iranian policies place greater emphasis on religious and ideological values and the preservation of cultural and religious identity. Both countries, however, employ instruments such as investment in cinema, cultural festivals, cultural consultations, and human-resource development.
The qualitative analysis generated 517 initial codes, organized into eight major categories and 40 subcategories. The resulting model comprised eight principal components: the policymaking system, policy evaluation, cultural policies, international interaction capacity, cultural consultations, human-resource development, cultural festivals, and strategic cultural policymaking. ISM identified six hierarchical levels, while MICMAC classified the policymaking system and international interaction capacity as relatively independent variables, strategic cultural policymaking, cultural policies, and human-resource development as dependent variables, and cultural consultations, policy evaluation, and cultural festivals as linkage variables. PLS-SEM confirmed all nine hypothesized relationships, with international interaction capacity showing a strong positive effect on the policymaking system (β = 0.701, t = 9.671) and cultural policies having the strongest effect on strategic cultural policymaking (β = 0.610, t = 5.472). The model explained 84.3% of the variance in strategic cultural policymaking (R² = 0.843), while the measurement model demonstrated acceptable reliability and convergent validity.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that effective strategic cultural policymaking requires an interconnected system rather than isolated policy formulation. International interaction capacity and the policymaking system play foundational roles, while policy evaluation, cultural consultations, festivals, human-resource development, and cultural policies contribute to the development of strategic policymaking. The French experience highlights the value of an outward-oriented approach integrating cultural diplomacy, international cooperation, cultural institutions, festivals, language promotion, and cultural and creative industries. Rather than direct replication, selected elements of this experience can be selectively adapted to Iran through stronger international cultural interaction, systematic policy evaluation, expanded cultural consultations and festivals, improved human-resource development, and greater institutional coherence. The proposed model thus provides an integrated framework for strengthening cultural governance and strategic cultural policymaking in Iran.
Keywords
cultural policy making
adaptive policies
adaptive approach
Subjects
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