Description

This book is based on an historical investigation exploring the impact of the Carnegie Corporation s philanthropic cultural and educational activities in North America and Australia during the 1940s. The author examines the Carnegie s formation of public values and perceptions using cultural and aesthetic material in order to transmit American ideological ideals with the goal of influencing Australian, Canadian and US cultural norms. The principal case examined in this book is the Art of Australia 1788- 1941 exhibition, which toured the US and Canada during 1941-42. The investigation deploys a theoretical framework derived from the writings of Tony Bennett to analyse empirical data. This account highlights the museum as a significant arena for establishing and legitimating social norms and practices whilst steering cultural values and would be especially useful for professionals interested in the role alliance building plays in the promotion of cultural and political agendas.