nep-cul New Economics Papers
on Cultural Economics
Issue of 2006‒01‒24
three papers chosen by
Roberto Zanola
Universita degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale

  1. Abracadabra! Social Norms and Public Perceptions through Harry Potter’s Looking Glasses By Avichai Snir; Daniel Levy
  2. A Discrete Choice Model of Consumption of Cultural Goods in Italy: the Case of Music By Donata Favaro; Carlofilippo Frateschi
  3. Diagnostic du cinéma européen By Emmanuel Ethis

  1. By: Avichai Snir; Daniel Levy
    Abstract: Economic organization of the imaginary worlds depicted in popular literary works may be viewed as a mirror to public opinion on the economic organization of life. If a book becomes a best-seller, it is because the book conveys messages, feelings, and events the readers can relate to. In other words, the book’s readers identify with the set of norms and rules that govern the development of the plot and the actions of its heroes. Therefore, a best seller, as a book that successfully relates to readers of its time, can teach us on the norms and believes of its audience. Following this line of thought, we use the method of deconstruction to analyze the highly successful J.K. Rowlings’ Harry Potter series. Studying the books within their social context allows us to learn about people’s norms, and their perceptions of issues such as the role of government, the structure of financial markets, poverty and inequality, etc. Thus, by looking at the Potterian economy through magnifying glasses, we obtain a perspective on what people might view as an ideal economic structure. Some aspects of this ideal world, we find, are quite different from the real world.
    Date: 2005–09
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:emo:wp2003:0528&r=cul
  2. By: Donata Favaro (University of Padua); Carlofilippo Frateschi (University of Padua)
    Abstract: In this paper we present an empirical analysis of the 'patterns of cultural choice' in the musical domain in Italy. By employing micro data from the Italian Survey on Households. Citizens and Leisure, we investigate the way in which musical tastes appear to be differentiated in the Italian society. The main goal of the paper is to verify whether musical tastes could be characterised by the traditionally accepted dichotomy between an elite of 'cultural snobs' and a mass of consumers of 'lowbrow' genres or whether they are diversified, with the presence of a new group of "cultural omnivores". By applying the discrete choice analysis, we implement a multivariate logit model in which each equation represents the choice of one of the mutually exclusive alternatives. Our dependent variable is constructed in a way to exactly identify the set of the alternatives and to include all possible individual choices. Our estimates point to the existence of different 'degrees of omnivorouness' and capture the differences between individuals listening to (or attending concerts of) only one musical genre, more than one genre or all genres.
    JEL: D12 C25 Z1
    Date: 2005–12
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pad:wpaper:0010&r=cul
  3. By: Emmanuel Ethis (LAHIC - Laboratoire d'Anthropologie et d'Histoire de l'Institution de la Culture - http://www.lahic.cnrs.fr/ - MIN CULTURE;CNRS : UMR2558 - Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales)
    Abstract: Face à la dénonciation de la domination du cinéma américain en Europe et aux débats récurrents en France autour de l' “ exception culturelle ”, Claude Forest nous livre dans son ouvrage Economies contemporaines du cinéma en Europe, un ensemble d'analyses précises et documentées qui battent en brèche bien des idées reçues.
    Keywords: cinéma, économie ; europe ; cinéma américain ; domination ; spectateurs ; nombre d'entrée ; art ; commerce ; cinéma européen
    Date: 2005–12–29
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:papers:halshs-00007577_v1&r=cul

This nep-cul issue is ©2006 by Roberto Zanola. It is provided as is without any express or implied warranty. It may be freely redistributed in whole or in part for any purpose. If distributed in part, please include this notice.
General information on the NEP project can be found at http://nep.repec.org. For comments please write to the director of NEP, Marco Novarese at <director@nep.repec.org>. Put “NEP” in the subject, otherwise your mail may be rejected.
NEP’s infrastructure is sponsored by the School of Economics and Finance of Massey University in New Zealand.