11 February 2011, Brussels, Belgium
The synthesis workshop took place on 11 February 2011 in Brussels and drew together outcomes both written and oral from the four thematic workshops.
Key thematic linkages between the four workshops included:
1. The culture of testimony and its continuing significance;
2. The electronic production of new forms of fictionality, and their appeal;
3. Literature and literature-type art forms as a medium of cultural transfer and exchange;
4. The diagnosis of rhetoricity, fictionality, textuality and historicity in political, economical and scientific discourses as explored by the workshops.
Each workshop was shortly presented by one member of the steering committee and each thematic area by a keynote speaker. Building on structured interchange and information synthesis, a pre-circulated discussion paper on Cultural Literacy informed and facilitated a high level discussion between academic experts and policy-makers. Representatives from the European Commission, European Research Council, national research councils, cultural and media industries attended this workshop. On the basis of the outcome of this workshop, an ESF/COST Science Policy Briefing is in preparation for publication. The Science Policy Briefing will be aimed at relevant stakeholders across Europe: national and supra-national policy-makers; research funding bodies; cultural agencies; university management; cultural and media industries etc. The briefing will aim to articulate a roadmap for policy discussion and implementation on the part of key relevant public and private sector stakeholders and literary and cultural experts in Europe.
