UNIVERSITE PARIS III SORBONNE NOUVELLE

Their core work

Sorbonne Nouvelle is a Paris-based university specializing in humanities, languages, and cultural studies, with particular strength in francophone studies, film heritage, and the history of international cultural relations. Within H2020, they have focused on researcher mobility (Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions) in areas spanning Caribbean studies, African and Caribbean theater, cultural diplomacy, and film archiving. Their work bridges cultural history with contemporary questions of soft power, transnational exchange, and post-colonial connections across Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2015–2018), Sorbonne Nouvelle focused on francophone cultural production and film studies — projects like FACT (African/Caribbean theaters), WORKRETHINK (French film and the financial crisis), and TRANSARCHIVES (film archiving across continents). From 2019 onward, the focus shifted toward broader geopolitical and historical questions: ConnecCaribbean examined the Caribbean's role in shaping the modern world, and INVCULTURALDIPLO tackled the history of cultural diplomacy, soft power, and transnationalism. The trajectory moves from studying specific cultural artifacts (theater, film) toward analyzing the political and diplomatic functions of culture in international relations.

Moving from cultural production studies toward the geopolitics of culture — expect future projects on soft power, cultural diplomacy mechanisms, and transnational cultural exchange.

How they like to work

Sorbonne Nouvelle predominantly leads projects, coordinating 4 out of 6 H2020 grants — all through MSCA individual fellowships, which signals they attract and host international researchers. Their two participant roles were in larger MSCA-RISE staff exchange networks (Geopark, ConnecCaribbean), showing they can also function within bigger multi-partner consortia. With 26 unique partners across 13 countries, they maintain a broad but not deep network, typical of a university hosting visiting fellows from diverse institutions.

26 unique partners across 13 countries, reflecting a geographically diverse network shaped by francophone and post-colonial research ties spanning Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas.

What sets them apart

Sorbonne Nouvelle occupies a distinctive niche at the intersection of cultural studies and international relations history — few universities combine deep expertise in francophone arts with research on how culture functions as a diplomatic tool. Their global reach into Caribbean, African, and transatlantic networks makes them an unusual partner for projects needing non-Eurocentric perspectives on cultural heritage and exchange. For consortium builders, they bring strong humanities credentials with a practical angle on culture as soft power — relevant for heritage, diplomacy, and development-oriented projects.

Highlights from their portfolio

• ConnecCaribbean
  Largest budget (EUR 289,800) and a MSCA-RISE staff exchange involving the Caribbean as a lens on global modernity — broad consortium with international reach.
• INVCULTURALDIPLO
  Most recent project (2022–2024) and thematically the clearest signal of their evolving direction — cultural diplomacy, soft power, and transnational competition.
• TRANSARCHIVES
  Bridges film heritage with archival science across continents — a distinctive topic combining cultural preservation with transnational knowledge exchange.