Thuy Thi Thu Tran

International organizations and the global mobility of cultural policy

Supervisors

Dr Abigail Gilmore and Dr Simon Parry, School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, University of Manchester.

Dr Christiaan De Beukelaer, School of Culture and Communication, University of Melbourne, and Dr Edwin Jurriëns, Asia Institute, University of Melbourne.

Overview of PhD

The project examines key programs executed under the framework of the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, particularly the International Fund for Cultural Diversity (IFCD).

Focusing on a case study of two IFCD projects in Vietnam and Rwanda, both seek to strengthen Intellectual Property regulations for the development of cultural and creative industries, the research traces the networks of key actors involved and explores how relevant concepts such as creativity, cultural diversity, or copyright are interpreted in these contexts.

Throughout this process, it seeks to understand UNESCO’s influence on the global mobility of cultural and creative industries as a policy idea. Considering that the IFCD projects have been implemented during the pandemic, the research also asks what policy mobility might look like in times of physical immobility.

Biography

I have university qualifications in literary studies (BA) and public management (MA) from Vietnam and Belgium respectively. I also attended a number of training courses in arts, humanities, and social sciences.

My professional experience involves public media and communication, cultural project management, and research. From 2012 to 2018, I worked in the culture sector of UNESCO Hanoi field office.

Throughout the first half of that period, I supported the implementation of a variety of projects on World Heritage, Intangible Cultural Heritage, Museums, Crafts, and Cultural and Creative Industries. In the second half, I coordinated project activities, including some research components, mainly on Cultural and Creative Industries, which took place under the framework of the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

After that, I worked as an independent researcher for different organizations and research institutions, before taking this Ph.D. journey in March 2020.

Contact

Email: ttranthithu@student.unimelb.edu.au and thuy.tran-2@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thuy-tran-4067bb22/