A new chapter in the international cultural cooperation
The term culture and development entered international discourse on the role of culture in the development of societies in the 1980s. Culture was not only discussed as a positive and innovative element, but also as an impediment to development or a downright "disruptive factor" in development oriented mainly to economic and socio-political criteria. The autonomy of culture was strengthened with the UN World Decade for Cultural Development 1988-1997 and the 2001 UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity. Compared with the global exchange of merchandise and national and international politics, culture – as a sphere of society with its own values, forms of expression, and productions – is gaining increasing notice and recognition.
"Opinions and Outlooks" aims to illustrate, examine, and comment on the backgrounds before which the Goethe-Institut works.
