The Role of Religion in Cultural Policy Process

Abstract

The place of religion and how it affects the cultural policy-makingprocess is one of the topics in the field of cultural policy. Varioustheories have been proposed in this regard at a minimum to amaximum range of views. Cultural policy in an Islamic society,however, follows a specific pattern. What distinguishes this patternfrom similar ones is the prominent role of religion in forming theculture of a society; this role is beyond only setting forbidden linesand codes in formulating cultural policy.This article introduces three elements of cultural policy based on adescriptive analytical method and by referring to Quranic verses andtraditions especially the life of Prophet Mohammad. These include:solving cultural complications of the society, preventing the rise ofthese complications and developing society toward perfection. Thisarticle emphasizes the smartness of the Islamic system and focuses onthe elimination of these complicated issues rather than solving them.The first step in cultural policy-making, therefore, is to identifyprogressing factors in a religious society (regardless of whether or notthere is any problem in society) and to implement them. Preventingthe causes of the problems (which is embodied in religious teachings)is the next step and effort to fix the problem directly is the last step.

Keywords

• culture
• religion
• cultural policy
• prevention
• critical success factor