The authenticity of the museum experience in the digital age: the case of the Louvre

The technological shift of museums is extensively documented, even if research on the impact of technologies on cultural practices and social patterns at large is still lacking. As part of a research programme conducted by the Louvre and HEC Paris, the article proposes a conceptual analysis of ‘real’ (visiting the museum) and ‘virtual’ (visiting its website) experiences of museums. It contributes to the understanding of whether the two experiences are substitutes or complements using a newly created measurement scale. In addition, the article also aims at enriching the contemporary discussion on the artworks’ aura and the authenticity of the cultural experience in the digital age.     

Distinguished Paper Series

The second in the Distinguished Paper Series is ‘Communication d'un savoir scientifique en classe: de la verbalisation au concept d'équilibre chimique’ by Nathalie Evrard, Anne‐Marie Huynen and Cecile de Bueger‐Vander Borght. It first appeared in the French‐language journal Didaskalia, 6, 9‐37 and appears by kind permission of the Editor, M. Michel Jezierski, De Boeck Université, Paris, Bruxelles. Translation is by Dr Veronica Heath, Department of French Studies, at the University of Reading.     

在意大利看莫言

莫言获得诺贝尔文学奖,成为了中国乃至世界文学界的焦点。无论是中国的学者还是世界各地的汉学家和研究中国的专家,都积极地参与到关于莫言及其文学作品的讨论之中。除了学术界和文学界热烈的讨论,莫言获得诺贝尔文学奖也激发了那些对中国文学不甚了解或理解不多的国际读者的兴趣。论文从一个意大利读者的视角出发,介绍了莫言作品在意大利的翻译、出版与接受的情况,并以对《生死疲劳》《红高粱》《蛙》等代表作的理解、分析和评价为例,从叙述形式和内容实质两个方面,论述了莫言作品中最吸引国外读者的因素和独特性。     

Child sex tourism in the context of the 2014 FIFA Football World Cup: the case of the host city of Recife,Brazil

This study aims to analyse the issue of child sex tourism (CST) and its correlation with sporting mega-events, taking into consideration the implementation of preventive public policy in the host city of Recife (located in the north-east of Brazil), during the 2014 FIFA Football World Cup. Through a qualitative approach based on a three-year longitudinal study – using interviews, observation and photographs – the theme will be analysed by considering the involved social issues, and the implications for excluded sectors of society in the organization of so-called mega-events. A total of 36 interviews were conducted with 22 individuals, who were divided into three groups: project managers, local population and children abused. CST does not occur in a vacuum and cannot be disconnected from more general social, economic and cultural concerns, which are often overlooked in analyses. Although this study is based upon a short-term timescale, the results obtained in the analysed projects have been satisfactory, but over the long term, effective social and educational measures must be prioritized in order to improve the situation for the actors involved. As part of a sporting mega-event, the topic of child sex tourism remains marginal, particularly in countries where social inequality persists.