Christian Handke

Christian Handke is Associate Professor of Cultural Economics at the Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication (ESHCC), Erasmus University Rotterdam, within the Department of Arts and Culture Studies. He holds the ius promovendi, enabling him to supervise PhD candidates. His academic affiliations reflect a strong interdisciplinary focus bridging economics, culture, and policy.

Education:

• PhD in Economics, Erasmus University Rotterdam (2010, highest distinction)
• M.A. in Science, Technology and Society (Innovation Economics), Linköping University, Sweden (with distinction)
• B.A. (Hons) in European Studies, University of North London

Christian Handke's research centers on cultural economics, with specializations in the economics of copyright, innovation and technological change, and the cultural and media industries. He also employs advanced methods such as text and data mining and systematic literature reviews to analyze trends and impacts in cultural policy and creative economies. His work explores how digitalization, platforms, and public policy affect cultural production and value creation.

His recent publications (2022–2024) reveal a consistent focus on cultural policy responses to crises (e.g., the pandemic), crowdfunding models for artistic innovation, and the development of creative industries in global contexts such as India. These works demonstrate an interdisciplinary, empirical approach grounded in economic theory and policy analysis.

Scientific Awards and Recognitions:

• Recipient of highest distinction for doctoral thesis (2010)
• President of the Society for Economic Research on Copyright Issues (SERCI) (2018–2022)
• Executive Board Member, Association of Cultural Economics International (ACEI)
• Associated Editor, Journal of Cultural Economics

Christian Handke has advised public and private institutions globally, including the European Commission, U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Industry Canada, UK Intellectual Property Office, and several German federal agencies. He has supervised at least three graduate-level research projects. He was Program Director of the Master in Cultural Economics and Entrepreneurship (2012–2018) and serves on the Faculty Council since 2017. His research is embedded in ERMeCHS clusters such as MICS (Music, Industry, Culture, Society) and VCE (Value in the Creative Economy), reflecting collaborative, interdisciplinary engagement.