A Set of Indicators of Interculturalism in Local Cultural Policies: A Study of Three Croatian Candidates for the European Capital of Culture

The implications of multiculturalism and interculturalism for local cultural policies have been poorly studied and vaguely addressed by European policy instruments such as the Intercultural Cities Index, promoted by the Council of Europe. In the light of this gap, this paper proposes a set of 12 indicators which can be used to evaluate how two approaches to cultural diversity (multicultural and intercultural) are embedded in three dimensions of local cultural policies (discourse, governance, and cultural contents). Because the European Capital of Culture Programme (ECoC) is considered promising ground for the analysis of city policies, these indicators are employed to compare three Croatian cities (Rijeka, Osijek, and Pula) as they undergo the process of candidature to become European Capitals of Culture. The results emphasize the interrelation of different dimensions of local cultural policies in the promotion of interculturalism, and the recurrence of gastronomy as a sector for experimentation with multicultural and intercultural approaches.