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Decadence for doctoral studies

Project description

Interdisciplinary training on decadence in arts and media

Decadence, viewed through sustainability and transnationalism, enriches our understanding of contemporary culture. Just recently, it has been recognised as a concept, connected to crises and evolving meanings in European societies. Its value is evident in examples from architecture, fashion, and immersive media. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the DECADOCS project will redefine decadence, moving beyond its common associations with decay and decline. It will explore this complex phenomenon’s ongoing influence on arts, media, and sociocultural practices across Europe and train doctoral fellows on underrepresented, non-literary areas of study. It will include scientific work packages and specialised training activities in digital dissemination, open access, and outreach.

Objective

DECADOCS is a research and training programme which aims to renegotiate common assumptions about decadence that equate it with decay and decline. A more nuanced view of decadence predicated on sustainability, transnationalism, and sensoriality, envisages it as a valuable tool to enrich our understanding of contemporary artistic, media, entertainment, and sociocultural practices. Perceived as ubiquitous in 2025, decadence is linked to a rich and still evolving set of meanings and associations cutting across European societies since the nineteenth century. Its persistent link with crises and their recurrence has a continuing valence today and helps to explain the renewed interest in uncovering its illuminating potential.
DECADOCS therefore aims to show how that complex transhistorical, transnational, and trans-linguistic European phenomenon still undergirds arts, media, and sociocultural practices. The examples of architecture, fashion, food and drink, tourism, visual and print cultures, entertainment, and immersive media testify to the presence and positive value of decadence.
Firmly anchored in decadence studies as a field of the humanities, DECADOCS' research programme will therefore train a cohort of doctoral fellows, notably by addressing those non-literary, underexplored areas of study, embedding different disciplines in a coherent research programme with clearly defined and linked scientific work packages, bespoke network training activities emphasizing digital dissemination, open access, and outreach to various audiences. Tailored intersectoral training delivered by the most appropriate associated partners (museums, archives, libraries, galleries, and SMBs in fashion conservation and translation) during substantial periods reinforces the research programme's scientific and societal impacts. DECADOCS is the first doctoral network in decadence studies.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-DN-JD - HORIZON TMA MSCA Doctoral Networks - Joint Doctorates

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Call for proposal

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

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Coordinator

UNIVERSITE BOURGOGNE EUROPE
Net EU contribution
€ 629 338,32
Address
MAISON DE L'UNIVERSITE - ESPLANADE ERASME
21000 DIJON
France
Region
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Bourgogne Côte-d’Or
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
No data

Participants (9)

Partners (16)