Eu’s cultural policy through the lens of dominant frames: a corpus-based analysis

This paper employs corpus-assisted discourse analysis to examine how culture is framed in a corpus of EU cultural policy documents (2000–2023). Drawing on the concept of framing as a discursive mechanism that shapes and promotes specific interpretations, the study identifies dominant frames emerging from the analysed texts. Using Sketch Engine's keyword extraction and concordance analysis, six dominant frames are identified: EU cultural governance, culture through joint funding and regional cooperation, culture as a strategic tool, Europeanisation, cultural heritage and preservation, and culture for green transition. The analysis reveals these frames as rhetorically complementary, serving to construct a cohesive meta-narrative organised around cultural instrumentalisation. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate the interplay between ideological continuity and responsiveness to evolving priorities, framing culture as a multifunctional policy tool serving broader EU policy goals.