1 / 6

The Evolution of Language and Nationalism in Europe

Explore the complex relationship between language and nationalism in Europe, from the violent extinction of certain languages to the role of the EU in shaping identities. Witness the interplay between national pride, cultural heritage, and the challenges of modernization. Discover the impact of language on state formation and the resilience of nationalism in the face of changing political landscapes.

rlogan
Download Presentation

The Evolution of Language and Nationalism in Europe

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Language & Nationalism in Europe Chapter 13: Language & national identity in Europe

  2. Changes in Language Use • Some languages have been almost extinguished by violence: Yiddish, Irish • Violence involved in the creation of Spain, Germany, Croatia • National identities & histories are often artificially constructed • Nationalism is part of modernization & standardization of languages serves the communication needs of modern societies

  3. Role of EU • EU has facilitated new ties and new identities • Within the EU, it is possible to be both a nationalist and a transnationalist at the same time, creating “multinational nationalists” • “Nationality becomes simply a question of identity, choice, and introspection” -- some think it will become a thing of the past

  4. But nationalism is still with us! • 1990s witnessed violent nationalism & ethnic cleansing • 1990s 15 new states were created in Europe, evidence of strong nationalist aspirations • “We are witnessing 2 parallel & apparently contradictory phenomena: the abandonment of nationalism and the re-emergence of nationalism”

  5. The role of language • Herder: “one’s true homeland is one’s language” • “to kill a nation there is nothing more deadly than to kill its national language” • “But if language inhabits the realm of emotions, it is also involved in state formation and in functioning as a citizen in a modern (linguistically) unified state”

  6. Final notes • The new nations are new politically, but not culturally (they were there all along) • Unfortunately, violence works -- no one ever noticed all the human rights violations against the Kosovars until they revolted • Postmodern vision: decentered centers, information technology

More Related