TEc’N’Cool: Themes of Economy and Nature in Cultural Products

TEc’N’Cool: Themes of Economy and Nature in Cultural Narratives was born from the conviction that academic knowledge and contemporary culture should dialogue in a more open, accessible and inspiring way. Established in a business school, the project already brings together more than 160 films, series and books in an open access database, focused on essential topics such as business & economics and environmental sustainability. In a world in constant transformation, understanding these themes from multiple perspectives — theoretical, practical and cultural — is crucial to train critical and innovative thinkers.

Website (beta): https://www.iscap.pt/cei/tecncool2/htmls/TecNcool.html

The rationale of TEc’N’Cool: Themes of Economy and Nature in Cultural Narratives is based on the idea that cultural narratives uniquely capture social and economic complexities, offering insights that complement traditional academic approaches. By providing a qualified and permanently updated curatorship of content, the project aims to enrich the training of students, support pedagogical innovation and stimulate new lines of collaborative research.

Among the  main objectives are:

• To encourage autonomous discovery and critical reflection on the central themes of our time;

• To create a bridge between theory and practice, by connecting academic concepts to contemporary cultural representations;

• To stimulate interdisciplinarity, showing how law, economics and sustainability dialogue with other areas such as ethics, politics and technology;

• To foster active learning through discussion clubs, workshops and analysis projects based on the contents of the database;

• To serve as a didactic support tool for classes, allowing more dynamic and engaging teaching methods;

• To inspire  innovative research projects, crossing cultural and scientific analysis.

The advantages for the community are manifold:

For students, Tec'N'Cool offers a unique opportunity to broaden their academic training in a more dynamic and creative way. By exploring selected films, series, and books, students can develop essential critical competencies such as interdisciplinary analysis, interpretation of complex realities, and strategic thinking. Open access to the database encourages autonomous discovery, critical reflection and the link between theory and practice. In addition, the project contributes to enriching academic work, group projects and presentations, making learning more relevant and motivating.

For teachers, Tec'N'Cool makes it possible to diversify teaching methodologies and make classes more interactive and appealing. The database allows the integration of contemporary cultural resources into curricula, promoting the connection between theoretical concepts and practical examples extracted from cinematographic and literary works. The project also supports the development of activities such as debates, case studies and critical analyses, fostering the active participation of students and interdisciplinarity.

For researchers, the platform offers a valuable collection for analyzing how topics such as economics, sustainability, and law are represented in popular culture. Tec'N'Cool paves the way for new lines of research on the influence of cultural narratives on the public perception of major global challenges. In addition, it allows researchers to explore innovative methodologies, combining content analysis, social impact studies and theoretical reflection.

Companies and other entities can benefit from Tec'N'Cool as a source of inspiration for employee training, social responsibility programs or awareness initiatives. Through access to a curated selection of content that addresses crucial topics for contemporary management, organizations can stimulate critical thinking, innovation, and social awareness in their teams. The project can also be a partner in the organization of cultural events, training programs or strategic communication actions linked to values such as sustainability, business ethics and social innovation.

In short, Tec'N'Cool aims to be a living space for the intersection between knowledge and culture, stimulating creativity, critical thinking and the formation of leaders who are more aware and prepared to face the challenges of a changing world.