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Review article published In: Language, conflict and security
Edited by Roberta Medda-Windischer and Andrea Carlà
[Language Problems and Language Planning 46:2] 2022
► pp. 113–130

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Introduction

At the intersection of language, conflict, and security

Theoretical and empirical perspectives

ORCiD logo with link | Eurac Research, Institute for Minority Rights
ORCiD logo with link | Eurac Research, Institute for Minority Rights
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Available under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0 license.

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This article was made Open Access under a CC BY 4.0 license through payment of an APC by or on behalf of the authors.

Published online: 17 November 2022
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.00087.med
Abstract
While conflicts involving language are always intertwined with other issues such as ethnic and racial identity, religion, and democratic participation, the importance of the linguistic dimension is often underestimated, along with the difficulties of achieving effective, just and sustainable solutions through language legislation and policy. Language policies have political and social consequences; they can reinforce or diffuse conflicts and social unrest between language groups, they can accelerate language loss or facilitate language revitalization, and they can be instruments of inclusion or exclusion affecting the stability and security of the society. Against this background, this Special Issue aims to shed light on how language diversity impacts conflict and security. In particular, the SI will look at how issues revolving around language diversity interplay with security concerns and which dynamics trigger processes of securitization of language issues. How to balance language diversity to prevent conflict and promote security of linguistic majorities and minorities? How to reconcile the demands for linguistic diversity and political stability and unity? What is the role of international organizations in these processes? And how can the risk of the essentialization of linguistic communities and minority cultures leading to the division of societies into us-versus-them antagonisms thereby be overcome?
Riassunto
I conflitti legati a questioni linguistiche sono spesso l’effetto della concatenazione di diversi fattori come, ad esempio, questioni identitarie, religione, e partecipazione democratica. Tuttavia, nell’analisi dei conflitti la dimensione linguistica è spesso sottovalutata rendendo difficile identificare strumenti giuridici e politiche linguistiche che siano efficaci, eque e sostenibili. Le politiche linguistiche hanno un impatto politico e sociale: possono rafforzare conflitti e tensioni tra gruppi linguistici, possono accelerare la scomparsa di una o più lingue ma, allo stesso tempo, possono facilitarne la rivitalizzazione, e possono essere strumenti di inclusione o esclusione con un forte impatto sulla stabilità e la sicurezza della società. In questo contesto, questo numero tematico si propone di analizzare l’impatto della diversità linguistica sui conflitti e la sicurezza. In particolare, il numero tematico esaminerà le dinamiche che ruotano intorno alla diversità linguistica e come queste intersecano e innescano processi di securitizzazione. Ma come bilanciare la diversità linguistica per prevenire i conflitti e promuovere la sicurezza fra maggioranza e minoranze linguistiche? Come conciliare le esigenze legate alla diversità linguistica con la stabilità e l’unità politica? Qual è il ruolo delle organizzazioni internazionali in questi processi? E come superare il rischio che comunità linguistiche e culture minoritarie siano strumentalizzate allo scopo di dividere le società in antagonismi e accrescere la polarizzazione?
Resumo
Kvankam konfliktoj rilataj al lingvoj ĉiam interligiĝas kun aliaj demandoj, kiel ekzemple etna kaj rasa identeco, religio, kaj demokratia partopreno, oni ofte subtaksas la gravecon de la lingva dimensio, kiel ankaŭ la malfacilecon atingi efikajn, justajn kaj daŭripovajn solvojn per lingvaj leĝoj kaj politikoj. Lingvaj politikoj havas politikologiajn kaj sociajn konsekvencojn: ili povas refortigi aŭ pacigi konfliktojn kaj socian maltrankvilon inter lingvaj grupoj, ili povas rapidigi lingvoperdiĝon aŭ faciligi lingvan revivigon, kaj ili povas roli kiel iloj por inkluzivo aŭ ekskluzivo kiuj influas la stabilon aŭ sekuron de la koncerna socio. Havante tiun fonon, la nuna speciala numero celas prilumi la efikon de lingva diverseco je konflikto kaj sekureco. Specife, la numero ĵetos rigardon al la interrilato de lingvodiversecaj demandoj unuflanke kaj sekurecaj zorgoj aliflanke, kaj distingos la dinamikojn kiuj produktas procezojn de sekurecigo de lingvaj demandoj. Kiel oni ekvilibrigu lingvan diversecon por preventi konflikton kaj fortigi sekurecon de lingvaj majoritatoj kaj minoritatoj? Kiel kongruigi postulojn de lingva diverseco unuflanke kaj politika stabileco kaj unueco aliflanke? Kiun rolon havu internaciaj organizoj en tiuj procezoj? Kaj kiel superi la riskon de esencigo de lingvaj komunumoj kaj minoritataj kulturoj, kio konduku al dividoj de socioj en antagonismojn “ni-kontraŭ-ili”?
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