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Literature - Industry - Society between Colonialism and Globalisation: The Role of Literature and the Corporate Press in the Global Activities of the Bata Concern”

Project description

Cultural strategies of a shoe company

Can a shoe company shape cultural identity? It is possible. Researchers are exploring the global expansion of the Baťa company from the late 1920s to the 1960s. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the project will examine how Baťa used literature and corporate media to promote its business model, craft the image of the new industrial man, and influence narratives at home and abroad. The project will review corporate publications, travel writing, and other communication activities of the Baťa exile community. The findings will shed light on the cultural role of Czechoslovakia’s most iconic company and the wider link between literature, industry, and globalisation.

Objective

This interdisciplinary project, titled “Lit-In-Soc: Literature – Industry - Society between Colonialism and Globalisation: The Role of Literature and the Corporate Press in the Global Activities of the Baťa Concern,” examines the intersection of literature, industry, and society through the lens of Bata, the leading Czechoslovak company during its global expansion from the late 1920s to the 1960s. Positioned within the broader framework of modernity studies, literary history, sociology of literature, and cultural studies, this research explores how Baťa utilized literature and corporate media to promote its business model, influence cultural narratives, and construct the identity of the ”new industrial man“. The project aims to address three core research questions: the representation of global expansion in Bata’s literary conception, the functions of literature and media in foreign versus domestic contexts, and the engagement of the Bata exile community in the literary scene.
Despite existing research on Bata’s economic, social, and architectural impact, there is a significant gap regarding its cultural and literary dimensions. This research seeks to fill that gap by analysing Bata’s corporate publications, travelogues, and the literary activities of its exile community. By situating Bata as a cultural and colonial agent, this project challenges the prevailing view of Czechoslovakia's relationship with colonialism and offers new insights into the role of modern corporations as cultural influencers in a globalizing world.

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01

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Coordinator

UNIVERSITE LIBRE DE BRUXELLES
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 200 400,00
Address
AVENUE FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT 50
1050 Bruxelles / Brussel
Belgium

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Region
Région de Bruxelles-Capitale/Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest Région de Bruxelles-Capitale/ Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest Arr. de Bruxelles-Capitale/Arr. Brussel-Hoofdstad
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

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