23 November 2007
In the field of culture, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and Luxembourg make up the top five nations of Europe. In these countries, citizens read more, consume culture in a more comprehensive manner and participate in cultural events more actively than in other European Union nations. This information emerges in Across and Beyond the Bounds of Taste – On Cultural Consumption Patterns in the European Union, by Taru Virtanen, Master of Economic Sciences. This thesis study, respective to the economic sociology field, shall be examined at Turku School of Economics on Friday, 30 Nov. 2007.
In this thesis study by Taru Virtanen, Master of Economic Sciences, the connection between the various forms of cultural consumption and consumers’ socio-economic backgrounds in 15 EU nations is clarified. Eurobarometer materials gathered in 2001, in which the cultural activity of the residents in the member nations was broadly surveyed, are utilized in this study. The questionnaire was answered by 16,200 European Unions nationals.
This thesis study indicates that the consumption of culture is most active in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The least consumption of this kind occurs in Portugal and Greece.
The most pivotal explanatory factor in cultural consumption is the level of education.
”In this respect, young age shows itself to be a pivotal, positive feature. Pofessional position also has significance. Those who work in clerical/office and management task level occupations clearly consume more culture than the others. Students are also particularly active cultural consumers,” Taru Virtanen declares.
According to the study, the influence of gender and income on the consumption of culture is minimal.
Finns are diligent readers
The consumption of Finnish culture differs to some extent from the rest of Europe. Finns use library services actively and read considerably during their free time. Writing as a hobby is also typical for Finns, in addition to listening to light music and cultural radio programmes.
”The Nordic countries resemble each other with regard to cultural consumption and differ from the other EU nations,” Ms Virtanen reckons. ”In part, this is explained by the wide educational base of the population, which is deeply rooted in Nordic welfare state thinking.”
An exceptionally wide comparison study
Typically, research on cultural consumption has been focused either on one society or, at most, a few countries. In Taru Virtanen’s thesis study, conversely, the consumption of culture is examined on a broad-based comparative foundation. The research object is 15 EU nations from the period prior to the most recent expansion. What is exceptional is the wide-ranging inspection of cultural sectors as well. In most studies, the limit is on a few cultural products only.
Six cultural sectors are delineated in this study: cultural participation, art-related hobbies, Internet usage in the consumption of culture, TV and radio programme preferences, musical tastes and concert participation. A total of 57 individual cultural products are reviewed in the sectors mentioned. Of these cultural products (e.g., going to the theatre, playing a musical instrument, purchasing books on the Internet, watching discussion programmes on TV or having a collection of folk music), three different cultural taste combinations have been formulated: emerging elite consumption, cultural omnivorousness and large-scale cultural consumption.
Elite consumption points to an exclusivist taste; omnivorousness to extensive, wide-ranging cultural tasting. A large-scale cultural consumer, on the other hand, participates more often in one or a few cultural modes.
”It would appear that the preference for high culture regarded as an elite taste in the past has now been joined by the tendency to consume culture in a versatile manner, without turning a blind eye to popular culture either. A real cultural elite is still apt to be found in the future from amongst the omnivorous consumers of culture,” Taru Virtanen predicts.
The doctoral thesis can be read at:
http://info.tse.fi/julkaisut/vk/Ae11_2007.pdf
Additional information:
Taru Virtanen
+358 41 440 7876
taru.virtanen(a)tse.fi