Abstract:
Culture and economy are two of the most important spheres of society. Their interaction is a complex and often contradictory process that depends on the specific socio-cultural environment, time, place, national development priorities, etc. In certain circumstances, the economy can contribute to cultural development and culture can also be used as a resource for economic development, while in other circumstances, investing certain resources in cultural or economic development may have the opposite effect, undermining cultural and economic development. In the context of the global crisis (linked to rapid depletion of natural resources, climate change, polarisation of living standards, an increase in inequalities, etc.) experienced in the early 21st century, culture is considered a resource of unlimited sustainability potential. The objective of the research is to carry out a systematic analysis of official policies related to culture and cultural literacy in Latvia. The focus is on the documents published in the period 2008 – 2018. By way of a systematic review of relevant policy documents, it examines how the cultural sphere is promoted, how the population’s cultural literacy, which can directly influence the economic development, is improved, and which are the most important issues of cultural policy. A systematic search for eligible sources examining cultural literacy education, defined as formal and informal education activities related to cultural identity, cultural practices and cultural heritage, was carried out by employing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework. A thematic analysis of the documents was undertaken using an iterative, inductive approach to the generation of codes and themes guided by the review aims and objectives.Cultural literacy has been designated as strategically important for sustainable development in policy documents of Latvia. The long-term planning documents in Latvia seek to base the country’s future development on a core of values that place less pressure on the utilisation of physical resources. This approach foregrounds the value (and potential) of human capital and emphasises creativity, openness to the new, tolerance, cooperation (that contributes to both cultural development and social cohesion), and participation. Tangible and intangible public investment in these areas will also contribute to the overall economic development of the country. The priorities for preserving cultural heritage and developing cultural literacy, as defined in long- and medium-term documents, which can stimulate the economic development, often remain at the level of abstractions. There are signs of improving the country’s economic growth potential in the system of education, which is undergoing significant changes, leading to the idea of promoting young people’s responsibility and ability to build a creative economy-based, highly developed country.
