HOME-LANG · Understanding the relationship between mother-tongue and father-land among German-Jewish thinkers of the XX century

Understanding the relationship between mother-tongue and father-land among German-Jewish thinkers of the XX century

The overarching research goal of HOME-LANG was to explore the complicated relationship between homeland, language, and identity, with a particular focus on German- Jewish intellectuals. National identities have historically been constructed around the connection between homeland and language. However, this traditional formula does not necessarily apply to diaspora communities, especially the Jewish community, whose identity has been intricately woven through centuries of displacement and encompasses multiple languages. While the relationship between Jewish diaspora and identity has received attention in various fields such as philosophical-religious studies, intellectual history, cultural studies, border studies, and postcolonial studies, a comprehensive examination of the interplay between exile, language, and identity from a philosophical perspective is lacking. In the project HOME-LANG, I addressed the linguistic dimensions of diaspora as perceived by Jewish thinkers such as Fritz Mauthner, Gustav Landauer, Franz Rosenzweig, Margarete Susman, Walter Benjamin, Elazar Benyöetz, and Rose Ausländer. The results of HOME-LANG are significant in several respects. From a philosophical and political perspective, the unique exploration of the interplay between exile, identity, and language offers valuable insights into the constructions of nationalism and patriotism. On the one hand, it encourages a critical examination of narrow political conceptions. On the other hand, the concept of a diasporic philosophy of language, which I have explored at length in my articles and in my book, proves to be a powerful hermeneutic tool for understanding the contemporary challenges we face. The goal was about exploring the intersection between their interpretations of language and the complicated issues surrounding exile, identity, statehood, and borders, from the perspective of Jewish hermeneutics. The HOME-LANG project pursued three interrelated research objectives: 1) To introduce innovative perspectives to the study of the relationship between exile, language, and identity. 2) To foster an interdisciplinary dialogue between scholars in the fields of political philosophy, philosophy of language, and migration studies. 3) Develop a novel mixed-methods approach that combines existing and original data. This approach combines a theoretical framework with historical and biographical elements to shed light on contemporary philosophy and intellectual history.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз