Cultural indicators in Abu Dhabi: theoretic framework and challenges for their building

Evidence-based decision-making in Abu Dhabi cultural sector is increasingly being influenced by the development of data generation from a coordinated statistical system. The Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi has increased its support of this focus by funding new research instruments, including CultureSTATS-AD project. One of the methodological challenges of CultureSTATS-AD project consists in articulation of the locally anchored and the internationally comparable dimensions of the evolving culture statistics system. The present paper addresses this methodological challenge by adopting a pragmatic approach to Abu Dhabi culture vocabulary. The practical usages of culture definitions by policymakers, academics and culture professionals replicate a myriad of underlying social processes. We suggest a transversal contextual analysis of Abu Dhabi culture documentation in order to understand in what conceptual, legal and social contexts each of the currently used culture definitions is inserted. Next, we propose to develop the culture indicators that emphasize these contexts. Finally, the paper offers methodological approaches to selection, definition and data population of culture indicators in Abu Dhabi. Even though our approach does not pretend to be exhaustive, it allows identifying the first linchpins of culture indicator building in Abu Dhabi and permits further alignment with the international standards.