DECRIPT research program (AMI-SHS)
DECRIPT is a multidisciplinary program of research and transfer to society and public policy, examining how the mobilization of civilizational narratives questions and challenges universal norms or referents, finds its way into the heart of contemporary conflicts, and helps redefine models of multilateral governance. Led by Inalco, and bringing together nearly 400 researchers and practitioners from the 15 consortium partners and more than 40 stakeholder institutions, DECRIPT combines the humanities, social sciences and data analysis to produce original, empirically grounded research to inform public decision-making around these key issues. Thanks to its Lab', DECRIPT brings together researchers, decision-makers and civil society players to develop analytical frameworks and original tools to better understand a world order in which civilizational narratives occupy, at various scales, an increasing place.
- Project duration: 2025-2032
- Funding: France 2030 - Human and Social Sciences research programs (AMI-SHS)
- Status: deployment in progress; launch meeting scheduled for June 25, 2025
Defining and studying civilizational narratives
Civilizational narratives are socially, strategically and ideologically constructed discourses that articulate specific interpretations of historical trajectories, cultural values and the roles of social collectives in the world order. These narratives, mobilized by "civilizational entrepreneurs", weigh in diverse and often contradictory ways on global political and social logics. Examples range from the "standard of civilization" used by 19th-century jurists to justify European colonization, to contemporary inversions of universalist claims embodied in various governmental positions: the Russian government's "civilization of civilizations" concept, the Chinese authorities' "World Civilization Initiative", or the "Western civilization" defense agenda carried by the current US administration.
Beyond observing the evolutionary roots, contents, dissemination patterns and underlying agendas of civilizational narratives, DECRIPT seeks to examine the power structures underlying their elaboration and contestations. The project contextualizes their historical roots and contemporary adaptations, identifies the vectors, habits and cultural products through which they are disseminated as well as their transregional circulations, and assesses their effects, from local crises to the remaking of global governance structures.
Our news selection
Governance
- April 2, 2025: calls for applications for doctoral and postdoctoral contracts
- April 23, 2025: information meeting on doctoral and postdoctoral applications
- June 25, 2025: Launch day at Inalco
- Morning: presentation of the program and partners; inaugural conference
- Afternoon: work-package workshops
- Detailed program and registration
- September 2025:
- Opening of the Laboratory
- Start of postdoctoral and doctoral contracts
- Start of research and transfer activities
- January 2026: First calls for projects