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Europioneers in Space : The Story of the European Space Agency

På svenska

Author

  • Linnéa Elfving

Summary, in English

This paper will examine the underlying identity processes of the European Space Agency. The aim is to discover how this agency is presenting itself and why, by using narrative analysis. Narrative analysis has proven to be effective in coming close to a subject’s performed identity. Theories from corporate communications and organisational studies have inspired the portrayal of ESA as a personified agency and, combined with narrative analysis, they will instruct both how the findings were retrieved and how they are presented in this paper. The voice of ESA has been found in certain Europioneers’ expressions, as they are part of the narrative while they are simultaneously creating it. The results from analysing these voices will not only clarify the function of ESA’s narrative, but by using David M. Boje’s ideas they will also show aspects beyond the agency’s corporate narrative. While ESA wants to be known as an organisation with great experience in European cooperation making it a legitimate, independent and competent actor on the global space market, there are clearly some stories that have not (yet) been included in the consolidated narrative.

Department/s

Publishing year

2014

Language

English

Document type

Student publication for Master's degree (two years)

Topic

  • Languages and Literatures

Keywords

  • Narrative analysis
  • European Space Agency
  • performed identity
  • corporate communications

Supervisor

  • Tomas Sniegon