Kulturak gatazka elikatzen duenean. Europako Kultur Hiriburuen hiri paradoxen azterketa kritiko bat

Abstract

The European Capital of Culture (ECOC) programme has evolved from a mechanism for promoting European cultural identity to a broader instrument of urban development. Focusing on 27 capitals between 2007 and 2019, this study critically analyses the cultural objectives and spatial tensions that emerge in the programme’s implementation. Drawing on thematic analyses of official European Union documents and scholarly critiques, this research identifies several structural paradoxes. The findings indicate that internal often lead to contested urban transformations and provoke unforeseen forms of popular resistance. The study highlights the need for adaptive governance and context-sensitive evaluation approaches.