This course is part of the core offering of the Master’s Degree in Innovation and Management for Culture and Creativity (IMaCC) and serves as the initial module in the Critical Management for Cultural Organisations track. It introduces students to the philosophical and theoretical foundations needed to critically analyse how cultural meaning, value, and legitimacy are constructed and contested within institutions and the broader public sphere. The course complements IMaCC’s interdisciplinary and strategic approach by equipping students with tools to reflect on the symbolic, ethical, and political aspects of cultural work. It emphasises the urban environment as a key location where culture is consumed, commodified, and circulated through branding, tourism, public events, or institutional programming. Students will learn to recognise how public and private organisations utilise cultural narratives within cities to generate economic, reputational, and symbolic value.