Cultural Policy and Publishing in Ghana: Exploring the Symbiosis Between Policy and Practice
Reuben Agbelengor Glover 
, Lucy Afeafa Ry-Kottoh , Adolph Hilary Agbo & Michael Ato Essuman
Issue: Vol.6 No.2 Issue Article 7 pp. 117 – 135
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2025627 | Published online 13th February, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
This evaluative study provides an in-depth analysis of Ghana’s publishing industry within the context of cultural policy. It explores the symbiosis between national cultural policy, ancillary policies, and its operational dynamics, focusing on how policy directives are implemented in the publishing sector, with emphasis on the mandate of the National Commission on Culture (NCC) as a regulator and facilitator in promoting the growth of local authorship and literary arts through culture. Data was obtained from policy documents and interviews, which were analysed using ontological and epistemological theories of post-positivists, critical realism and constructivist paradigms for public policy analysis. The findings indicate that while the publishing industry’s practices, challenges, and innovations have the potential to influence national development, policymakers and administrators are apathetic towards these dynamics, indicating a disconnect between cultural policy objectives and the realities faced by industry stakeholders. Furthermore, it identified gaps in policy implementation and recommended strategies to enhance the industry’s contribution to national development by establishing links between policy formulation and sector performance. These insights are valuable to policymakers and publishers looking to strengthen the synergy between culture and publishing in Ghana. Ultimately, this study enriches our understanding of publishing as a culturally significant pursuit within a commercial context, highlighting its broader impact and influence.
Keywords: Publishing, Cultural Policy, Consciencism, Governmentality, Symbiosis
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Reuben Agbelengor Glover is a senior lecturer in the Department of Publishing Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. He holds an LLB (Substantive Law), BL (Professional Law), an MFA and a BA Art from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana and Ghana School of Law, Accra. He is also a certified teacher with Teachers Certificate ‘A’ (Post Secondary) S.D.A. College of Education, Asokore-Koforidua, Ghana. His research interests include Intellectual property law, visual culture, cultural policy studies, design and illustration. Email: reubenglover.cass@knust.edu.gh , reubenglover.rg@gmail.com
Lucy Afeafa Ry-Kottoh (Mrs.) is a senior lecturer and Head of the Department of Publishing Studies at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. She holds a PhD from the University of Stirling, Scotland, UK, an MBA in General Business Administration from the University of Hull, England, UK, and a BA (Publishing Studies) from the University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. Her research interests include Print and Digital Publishing, Micro-Publishing (social media publishing and use), Communication, Book Trade, Publishing Management, Financial Management, Marketing, Scholarly Publishing, Educational Development, and Disability Issues. Email: afeafarykottoh@gmail.com
Adolph Hillary Agbo is a lecturer in the Department of Publishing Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. He holds an MA in Art Education and a BA (Publishing Studies) from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. His research interests include book design, print and production, print finishing, etc. Email: adolphagbo@yahoo.com
Michael Ato Essuman is a lecturer in the Department of Publishing Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. He holds a PhD in Art Education and a BA (Publishing Studies) from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi. He is also a certified teacher with Teachers Certificate ‘A’ (Post Secondary). His research interests include Literary arts, Textbook Publishing, Textbooks Assessment, Evaluation and Selection, Art Education, General Publishing, Information Design and Digital Publishing, Book Design and illustration, Designing Learning Resources, Editing, Computer-Aided Design and Illustration, Educational Innovation and Leadership Science, Higher Education use of Educational Media and Textbooks. Email: maessuman@knust.edu.gh
Glover, Reuben Agbelengor, Lucy Afeafa Ry-Kottoh, Adolph Hilary Agbo and Michael Ato Essuman. “Cultural Policy and Publishing in Ghana: Exploring the Symbiosis Between Policy and Practice,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no.2 (2025): 117 – 135. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2025627
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
