ELECTRONIC

ASSIGNMENT
COVERSHEET

Student Number 32813747

Surname Thu

Given name Myat Thu

Email myatthu278@gmail.com

Unit Code MCC337C

Unit name Cultural and Media Policy

Enrolment mode Internal / external

Date 10th June 2016

Assessment name Assignment 1 Essay: Situating Cultural Policy

Tutor Jailani Abu Bakar

Student’s Declaration:
• Except where indicated, the work I am submitting in this assignment is my own work and has not
been submitted for assessment in another unit.

• This submission complies with Murdoch University's academic integrity commitments. I am aware
that information about plagiarism and associated penalties can be found at
http://www.murdoch.edu.au/teach/plagiarism/. If I have any doubts or queries about this, I am further
aware that I can contact my Unit Coordinator prior to submitting the assignment.

1|Page
 • I acknowledge that the assessor of this assignment may, for the purpose of assessing this
assignment:

o reproduce this assignment and provide a copy to another academic staff member; and/or

o submit a copy of this assignment to a plagiarism-checking service. This web-based service may
retain a copy of this work for the sole purpose of subsequent plagiarism checking, but has a legal
agreement with the University that it will not share or reproduce it in any form.

• I have retained a copy of this assignment.

• I will retain a copy of the notification of receipt of this assignment. If you have not received a receipt
within three days, please check with your Unit Coordinator.

I am aware that I am making this declaration by submitting this document electronically and by
using my Murdoch ID and password it is deemed equivalent to executing this declaration with
my written signature.

Optional Comments to Tutor:

E.g. If this is a group assignment, list group members here

2|Page
“Australian culture is a racist culture. You can find evidence for this in the arts and
media.” Do Australian cultural institutions and media reflect the multicultural nature of
contemporary society? Discuss.

Done by:

Student Name/ ID No:

Myat Thu(32813747)

Unit Code and Name:

MCC337 Cultural and Media Policy

Class: C

Unit Coordinator: Mick Broderick

Local Lecturer: Jailani Abu Bakar

Assignment Name/ Title:

Assessment 1/ Essay: “Situating Cultural Policy”

3|Page
 Table of Contents

1. Introduction-------------- pg 5
2. Areas---------------------- pg 6
3. The theme of tensions/ contradictions--------------- pg 7
4. Reflection/ Concluding Statement------------------ pg 8
5. References List------------------ pg 9

4|Page
Introduction

In today’s world, different people can be seen celebrating and having

different cultures. Racism is a bit related to the notion of elitism. The term, “Racist
culture” (Helms, 1993) means that, it can be expressed as social assumptions and
customs that encourage the hypothesis of the production of the accustomed A racist culture is
usually based on
civilization, involving the different expressions as well as the attitude of that the dominant
racial group – the
civilization exceptional to those of other civilization. Racist culture (Shah, 2010) dominant racial
group speaks
also remains when there is a common acknowledgement of patterns regarding from a superior
position and
various nationality or the genetic society. The phrase “Racist Culture” implies regards all others
mostly in the societies as well as the larger organizations. It also implies against especially the
minority inferior.
the spirit of diversity, inclusive culture and society as well as against the ethos of
multiculturalism. Racist Culture can also have arguments and conflicts (Shah,
2010) ranging from person to person due to the different ethnicity of the
communities. Moreover, racist culture can also have discrimination among the
societies as well as having violence (Jagdish, 2016) and more activists. Without a
forceful counter-movement, religious inequity (Henry, 2004) will go on to flourish
and disturbance breakout would be unavoidable. Racist culture is also known as
against the spirit of the ‘diversity’, ‘inclusive’ culture and also as well as against the
ethos of multiculturalism. The cultural institution that would be the focus of the
discussion of this topic is Singapore National Arts Council. The National Arts Council is
involved in the preservation of the culture, heritage and mainly the ‘custodian of
culture and heritage’ as they represent the communities.

In this essay, it will be seeking to discuss on National Arts Council and

elaborating mainly about how Singapore National Arts Council have an impact on The focus should be
on racist culture as
the cultural institutions and media which reflect the multicultural nature of the evidence in arts and
media.
contemporary society. Furthermore, it would also be looking upon on the
relationship of Singapore National Arts Council which relates up back to the
Singaporean communities. Moreover, it would be analyzing mainly about how
Singapore National Arts Council play and take part of an important role to the
societies.

5|Page
Areas

The areas that will be discussing and looking in this topic would be mainly funding under the
topic of Singapore National Arts Council. According to the funding (Tan, 2014) of Singapore
National Arts Council, it is racially proportionate to the racial composition of the diverse
communities. It has been analyzed and found out that it is a fair assessment and the method of
funding (Xuan, 2016) using in this organization is mainly charity as it donates money to other
organization.

On 9 April 1988, the Advisory Council on Culture and the Arts (Ho, 2014) was
established to analyse the cultural situation in Singapore, and introduce the procedures
to help change Singapore into a culturally vibrant society. Singapore history predates to
the third century. The island was occupied by various sultanates until 1819, when the
British arrived to the island and established a harbor and territory. During the rule of the
British, the harbor of Singapore developed and drew the attentions of many immigrants.
After the independence in 1965, Singapore continued on its own journey. It has a
diversified population of over 5.47 million people which is made up of Chinese, Malays,
Indians, and Eurasians (plus other mixed groups) and Asians of different origins. The Descriptive
information
management of this organization, Singapore National Arts Council, as mentioned above that does not
answer the
is seen that the National Arts Council management is both culturally and racially
question.
diverse. According to this management of the organization of the background, it has
been analyzed that both the cultural and racial diversity is reflected in the composition of
the management. According to what has been analyzed from the management of the
organization of the background, it is observed that there are enough community voices
in these representations. In addition to the observation is that, the voices are raised up Over quoting
without
timely (Yusof, 2016) and let to known outside the whole world to make sure that it providing your
own
reaches the information on time and that the information being sent is communicated perspectives

(Lai, 2015) efficiently and appropriately. This is essential because without reaching the
information on time, updated information (Gerard, 2015) also as well as the place what
is happening in which circumstances cannot be reaching out on time and would be
disconnected in society. Moreover, it also helps to raise awareness (Martin, 2016)

6|Page
between the societies and this organization of National Arts Council. Based on the
management of the organization of the background, it could be seen that the Singapore
National Arts Council place culture as its priority (Jagdish, 2016). Furthermore, it
requires an art (Jagdish, 2016) for both the organization and for the society as well. This
is because without art, there will not be creativity and the society will be disconnected
with the arts (Neo, 2016). Arts require creativity which will then engaged the audiences
(How, 2015). For the culture of Singapore, different ethnicity could be seen celebrating
different kinds of culture throughout the whole year due to the different races of people
living in the country.

The background of the individual member of the management would be chosen

as Yong Shu Hoong, a local citizen. In Funding area, it has been visualized that
Singapore National Arts Council was a result of both the prominence and visibility What is the
significance
which enables the exhibition as well as the expression of the arts and the culture. This of this Yong
Su Hoong?
individual member Yong Shu Hoong, distributed four poetry up to date which had won
in Singapore’s composition prize. He is also the organizer of monthly scholarly articles
which distributed for seven years is now holding on an ad-hoc basis (Lee, 2010). He is
also the administrator of National Arts Council Project work. It is important to choose
this individual because he has more experiences and background on his work.

The theme of tensions/ contradictions

“In practice, of course, the area of image constructed into being by the public
museum was hijacked by various sorts of particular social ideologies: it was sexist in
the gendered patterns of its exclusions, racist in its assignation of the aboriginal
populations of conquered territories to the lowest rungs of human evolution, and
bourgeois in the respect that it clearly articulated to bourgeois rhetorics of progress.”
(Bennett, T.2003. Pp 185-86). According to the above statement as mentioned here,

7|Page
it is a bit arguable that, Singapore National Arts Council restricts the effects of genders
on arts. Museum is one such example of a cultural institution on the evolution of
museum from being a private domain to what it is now as of today, that is, a public
museum. A public museum plays an important role not only to the communities but also
to the organizations as well. It is also accessible to the public; that the public has a
sense of ownership to what is being featured; in terms of planning; in terms of the
decision- making concerning the programmes ‘instruments of public instruction’ which
renders the public or the visitors ‘docile’ and also turning them into the passive
consumers or the audience. The role of the museum tensions one perspective that
views the museum or any other cultural institutions, as being elitist and the claim of
providing education for the public and the ‘collective good will of the State.’

For the space of the representation, the forms of culture given in space for
representation is visibility. It can also be seen as multicultural which means that, it
implies the coexistence of various cultural entities in a society as well as which also
supports the notion of an ‘inclusive’ society. As many things are recently changing
around our surroundings each and every day due to the modern advancement of
You have not
technology, the role of Singapore National Arts Council have changed by replacing discussed on the
issue of racist
from reading books to making funds of charities in organizations. As (Rowse, 1985) culture.

supported by (Bennett, 2003) quotation, “it illustrates how such cultural institutions of
National Arts Council emerge over time, giving feedback to the government
organizations and advertisers, often in disruptive and contentious alignment.” From this
quotation, it could be said that, it needs more time to obtain accurate and right
information from the organizations in order not to distribute unbiased information to the
communities.

Reflection/ Concluding Statement

“The area of image related with the museum relies on the conventions of general
human universality which provides it naturally volatile, opening up to a consistent
discussion of reform as hitherto removed constituencies to explore inclusion and

8|Page
inclusion on equal terms within that area.” (186) (Bennett, 2003). The term, “general
human universality” defines as celebrating the diversity of humanity or the cultures that
each culture is unique and deserving of respect and support. It also defines as those
managing rules of human education that are so significant to human integrity that we
are able to discover them in some form and in all societies around the world. Moreover,
the general human universality treats culture on equal terms as opposed to excluding
them in line with the notion of making the nation Singapore successful and also as well
as to make the country creating an ‘inclusive’ society.

In conclusion, based on the above statement in relation to the context of

Singapore National Arts Council as mentioned by the author Tony Bennett, it is
agreeable to the statement that the Singapore National Arts Council provides more
useful information to the societies than it is expected. Furthermore, Singapore Where is the
theme of ‘racist
National Arts Council needs to strengthen out its relationship on the communities and
culture’?
facilitate creativity from the diverse sections of society in order to empower society.
This may be done with the appropriate distribution of crucial information, and the
facilitation for the production of cultural goods and the arts. It needs to make the
societies interested as well as keeping up to date with relevant information to let the
communities know it on the right and punctual time.

References Lists

Works Cited
Bennett, T. 2003. “The Political Rationality of the Museum.” In Critical Cultural Policy
Studies: A Reader edited by Justin Lewis & Toby Miller, 180-87. Oxford: Blackwell.

Gerard, Clarabelle. Another fracas over Arts Funding: But where are the alternatives?
2015. http://themiddleground.sg/2015/12/09/another-fracas-arts-funding-
alternatives/ (accessed December 09, 2015).

Helms. Cultural Racism: Conceptualization. 1993. http://www.health-

psych.org/Cultural.cfm (accessed 1993).

9|Page
Henry, Frances. Concepts of race and racism and implications for OHRC policy. 2004.
http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/race-policy-dialogue-papers/concepts-race-and-racism-
and-implications-ohrc-policy (accessed December 2004).

How, Tan Tarn. Is NAC reverting to its past censorious role? 2015.
http://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/is-nac-reverting-to-its-past-censorious-role
(accessed November 14, 2015).

Ho, Stephanie. National Arts Council. 2014.

http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_775_2005-01-11.html
(accessed October 07, 2014).

Jagdish, Bharati. We need a wiser Singapore, not a reactionary one: NMP Kok Heng
Leun. 2016. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/we-need-a-wiser-
singapore/2824462.html (accessed May 28, 2016).

Lai, Kathy. The tough balancing act of arts funding. 2015.

http://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/the-tough-balancing-act-of-arts-funding
(accessed November 07, 2015).

Lee, Grace. Yong Shu Hoong. 2010.

http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1640_2010-01-31.html
(accessed 2010).

Martin, Michelle. What NAC did helped raise awareness: Book of the Year winner
Sonny Liew. 2016. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/what-nac-
did-helped-raise/2795820.html (accessed May 19, 2016).

Neo, Harvey. Was Arts Council wrong in revoking grant. 2016.

http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/was-arts-council-wrong-in-revoking-grant
(accessed March 26, 2016).

Rowse, T. 1985. Arguing the Arts: the Funding of the Arts in Australia, Ringwood:
Penguin.

Shah, Anup. Racism. 2010. http://www.globalissues.org/article/165/racism (accessed

August 08, 2010).

Tan, Corrie. Buzz over potential of National Arts Council's new Performing Arts
Masterplan. 2014. http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/buzz-over-

10 | P a g e
 potential-of-national-arts-councils-new-performing-arts-masterplan (accessed
September 08, 2014).

Xuan, Lee Jian. More funding for arts groups under National Arts Council's Major and
Seed Grant schemes. 2016. http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/more-
funding-for-arts-groups-under-national-arts-councils-major-and-seed-grant
(accessed March 22, 2016).

Xuan, Lee Jian. Arts groups to get $16.2m in funding. 2016.

http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/arts-groups-to-get-162m-in-funding
(accessed March 24, 2016).

Yusof, Helmi. Voices from the millennial generation. 2016.

http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/lifestyle/arts-entertainment/voices-from-the-
millennial-generation (accessed June 03, 2016).

11 | P a g e
MCC337 Cultural & Media Policy
Essay One Marking Sheet
Student Name: Myat Thu Myat Thu

Poor Fair Good Excellent Exception

Adequately addresses the question 

Accurate application of concepts 
Logic development of arguments 
Critical engagement with course

readings
Evidence of sufficient research 
High standard in professional writing:

grammar, spelling, punctuation
Concise structure: Intro, body,

Conclusion
Meticulous in-text and bibl. References 
Comments:

This paper is a little short of the expected length. You’ve not identified evidences

12 | P a g e
of racist culture based on ethnic representation through policy and content in the
media and arts sector. Arguments are not coherently built with elaboration and the
essay has failed to make any references to the course reading as a way of
constructing the framework of your arguments.

Grade: N 40

13 | P a g e