Cultural Policy and Publishing in Ghana: Exploring the Symbiosis Between Policy and Practice

This evaluative study provides an in-depth analysis of Ghana’s publishing industry within the context of cultural policy. It explores the symbiosis between national cultural policy, ancillary policies, and its operational dynamics, focusing on how policy directives are implemented in the publishing...

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Main Authors: Reuben Agbelengor Glover, Lucy Afeafa Ry-Kottoh, Adolph Hilary Agbo, Michael Ato Essuman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Noyam Journals 2025-02-01
Series:E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://noyam.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/EHASS2025627.pdf
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author Reuben Agbelengor Glover
Lucy Afeafa Ry-Kottoh
Adolph Hilary Agbo
Michael Ato Essuman
author_facet Reuben Agbelengor Glover
Lucy Afeafa Ry-Kottoh
Adolph Hilary Agbo
Michael Ato Essuman
author_sort Reuben Agbelengor Glover
collection DOAJ
description This evaluative study provides an in-depth analysis of Ghana’s publishing industry within the context of cultural policy. It explores the symbiosis between national cultural policy, ancillary policies, and its operational dynamics, focusing on how policy directives are implemented in the publishing sector, with emphasis on the mandate of the National Commission on Culture (NCC) as a regulator and facilitator in promoting the growth of local authorship and literary arts through culture. Data was obtained from policy documents and interviews, which were analysed using ontological and epistemological theories of post-positivists, critical realism and constructivist paradigms for public policy analysis. The findings indicate that while the publishing industry’s practices, challenges, and innovations have the potential to influence national development, policymakers and administrators are apathetic towards these dynamics, indicating a disconnect between cultural policy objectives and the realities faced by industry stakeholders. Furthermore, it identified gaps in policy implementation and recommended strategies to enhance the industry’s contribution to national development by establishing links between policy formulation and sector performance. These insights are valuable to policymakers and publishers looking to strengthen the synergy between culture and publishing in Ghana. Ultimately, this study enriches our understanding of publishing as a culturally significant pursuit within a commercial context, highlighting its broader impact and influence.
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spelling doaj-art-a5fa7877461b43d78aa38506005c5eaf2025-08-20T02:52:45ZengNoyam JournalsE-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences2720-77222025-02-0162117135https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2025627Cultural Policy and Publishing in Ghana: Exploring the Symbiosis Between Policy and PracticeReuben Agbelengor Glover 0https://orcid.org/0009-0009-3119-1659Lucy Afeafa Ry-Kottoh1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6066-6862Adolph Hilary Agbo2https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3617-2124Michael Ato Essuman3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3309-9161Department of Publishing Studies, Faculty of Art, College of Art and Built Environment, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.Department of Publishing Studies, Faculty of Art, College of Art and Built Environment, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.Department of Publishing Studies, Faculty of Art, College of Art and Built Environment, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.Department of Publishing Studies, Faculty of Art, College of Art and Built Environment, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.This evaluative study provides an in-depth analysis of Ghana’s publishing industry within the context of cultural policy. It explores the symbiosis between national cultural policy, ancillary policies, and its operational dynamics, focusing on how policy directives are implemented in the publishing sector, with emphasis on the mandate of the National Commission on Culture (NCC) as a regulator and facilitator in promoting the growth of local authorship and literary arts through culture. Data was obtained from policy documents and interviews, which were analysed using ontological and epistemological theories of post-positivists, critical realism and constructivist paradigms for public policy analysis. The findings indicate that while the publishing industry’s practices, challenges, and innovations have the potential to influence national development, policymakers and administrators are apathetic towards these dynamics, indicating a disconnect between cultural policy objectives and the realities faced by industry stakeholders. Furthermore, it identified gaps in policy implementation and recommended strategies to enhance the industry’s contribution to national development by establishing links between policy formulation and sector performance. These insights are valuable to policymakers and publishers looking to strengthen the synergy between culture and publishing in Ghana. Ultimately, this study enriches our understanding of publishing as a culturally significant pursuit within a commercial context, highlighting its broader impact and influence.https://noyam.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/EHASS2025627.pdfpublishingcultural policyconsciencismgovernmentalitysymbiosis
spellingShingle Reuben Agbelengor Glover
Lucy Afeafa Ry-Kottoh
Adolph Hilary Agbo
Michael Ato Essuman
Cultural Policy and Publishing in Ghana: Exploring the Symbiosis Between Policy and Practice
E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
publishing
cultural policy
consciencism
governmentality
symbiosis
title Cultural Policy and Publishing in Ghana: Exploring the Symbiosis Between Policy and Practice
title_full Cultural Policy and Publishing in Ghana: Exploring the Symbiosis Between Policy and Practice
title_fullStr Cultural Policy and Publishing in Ghana: Exploring the Symbiosis Between Policy and Practice
title_full_unstemmed Cultural Policy and Publishing in Ghana: Exploring the Symbiosis Between Policy and Practice
title_short Cultural Policy and Publishing in Ghana: Exploring the Symbiosis Between Policy and Practice
title_sort cultural policy and publishing in ghana exploring the symbiosis between policy and practice
topic publishing
cultural policy
consciencism
governmentality
symbiosis
url https://noyam.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/EHASS2025627.pdf
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