Ringvorlesung «Sprache – gender – identité»

This lecture provides an overview of the relationship between language and gender politics. Following Cameron (2006), I see language as entering into gender politics in two primary ways. The first, and most explicit, is that language itself is sometimes that target of political attention. This is the case, for example, in conflicts relating to the labelling of people and categories (e.g., “lesbian”, “woman”). The second way that language enters into gender politics is when language acts as the medium through which dominant ideologies about “authentic” group membership are policed and enforced. Research on this more implicit role of language examines how certain personality traits come to be considered characteristic of particular social categories, how language comes to index the traits in question, and how both of these relationships influence observed patterns of language use. In the lecture, I provide an overview of key research in both of these areas. I also offer suggestions on how research on language and gender politics can be used and made relevant in the classroom.

• Referent: Prof. Dr. Erez Levon, Universität Bern
• Diskutant: Dr. Christiane Charon, PH Luzern