This volume is the first major social scientific study of contemporary arts festivals. It will have appeal to a wide readership in cultural sociology, cultural studies and cultural theory.

Introduction 1. Urban Festivals and the Cultural Public Sphere: Cosmopolitanism between Ethics and Aesthetics 2. Between Tradition, Vision and Imagination: The Public Sphere of Literature Festivals 3. Art Biennales and Cities as Platforms for Global Dialogue 4. Festivals and the Geography of Culture: African Cinema in the "World Space" of its Public 5. The Cultural Public Sphere - Critical Measure of Public Culture? 6. Festivals: Local and Global. Critical Interventions and the Cultural Public Sphere 7. International Festivals in a Small Country: Rites of Recognition and Cosmopolitanism 8. Festivalization, Cosmopolitanism and European Culture: On the Socio-cultural Significance of Mega-events 9. Festival Spaces, Green Sensibilities and Youth Culture, Joanne Cummings 10. Cannes: a French International Festival 11. 'Space is the Place'. The Global Localities of Sònar and Womad Music Festivals. Conclusion