VAST aims to study the transformation of moral values across space and time.

An emphasis will be placed in those core European values considered fundamental for the formation of sustainable communities and enabling citizens to live well together, such as: freedom, democracy, equality, tolerance, dialogue, human dignity, the rule of law.

In order to examine the past of values we will analyse narratives expressed in natural language, trace and inter-link the values emerging. The narratives that will be analysed are relevant to the Arts (ancient Greek tragedies), Science (17th Century Scientific Revolution texts) and Folklore (fairytales). The narratives were chosen as to represent different places and significant moments in European history.

In order to examine the present of values we will collect and digitise the experiences of those in charge of communicating values in the present, especially through arts (focusing on theatre), folklore preservation (focusing on folktale storytelling), science (focusing on how science is communicated through museums) and education (focusing on museum educational programs). Finally, audiences will be exposed to moral values, through theatrical plays, museum visits and educational programs, in order to collect (and digitise) their appropriations of these values.