Museum policy in Taiwan and Scotland: a comparative study

Chiu, Ying-Chieh (2011) Museum policy in Taiwan and Scotland: a comparative study. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This thesis examines the dynamics in the process of cultural policy concerning the museum and gallery sector in Taiwan and Scotland of the United Kingdom. By applying a cross-national comparative methodology, it explores the factors influencing policy development for museums in relation to individual national contexts. The historical outline of the development of museums in relation to the political, economic, social and cultural settings of Taiwan and Scotland respectively informs the various ways in which museums have been perceived and reflects historical outcomes in contemporary policy issues. The study of the structural context of each political system brings to light institutional issues underlying the policy process. Focusing on the governance of publicly funded museums, the thesis investigates the positions of museums within public sector structures, the relationship between museums and relevant bodies at national and local level, and the role of a governing body or representative agency. Also, it looks into approaches to museum governance and resource allocation in relation to the governance models. In order to specify causes and consequences of a museum’s internal operations in response to external forces in the policy process, the thesis investigates six case studies: three cases of Taiwan are the National Palace Museum, the National Taiwan Museum and the Taipei Story House, and three cases of Scotland are the National Galleries of Scotland, Glasgow Museums and the Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery. Different features, diverse operational approaches and challenges facing individual museums with regard to their roots, funding sources and contents are indicated, whereby their relevant contexts are also examined. The research explores the diversity of the museum sector and demonstrates the links between museums’ operation, functions and engagement in policy. To conclude the study, it specifically discusses a number of main points arising from the previous contextual and empirical examination and identifies national differences and limited similarities between Taiwan and Scotland, which ultimately contributes to the knowledge of the complex relations between governments, museums and changing environments in the policy process.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: cultural policy, museum policy, policy development, policy process, policy-making, policy implementation, museum governance, museum, Taiwan, Scotland, cross-national comparison
• Subjects: J Political Science > JQ Political institutions Asia; J Political Science > JN Political institutions (Europe) > JN1187 Scotland
• Colleges/Schools: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Culture and Creative Arts > Theatre Film and TV Studies
• Supervisor's Name: Schlesinger, Professor Philip and Boyle, Professor Raymond
• Date of Award: 2011
• Depositing User: Ms Ying-Chieh Chiu
• Unique ID: glathesis:2011-2879
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 03 Oct 2011
• Last Modified: 04 Dec 2015 16:11
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/2879