Language Myths

This cross-cultural project brings together specialists from various fields in the humanities to investigate the use of so-called ‘classical’ languages, such as Ancient Egyptian, Sanskrit, Old Norse, and colonial Nahuatl, in modern and contemporary political movements seeking to revive a ‘Golden Age’ in the present. Despite the specialized knowledge necessary to comprehend these languages and cultures, they are frequently utilized in political rhetoric and propaganda, serving as integral components of political mythmaking. Given the growing prominence of ethnic and religious nationalisms and identitarian movements worldwide, it is crucial to critically examine the use of such appropriations of the past. As the first project of its kind, our initiative aims to set the coordinates for further comparative research on the topic. To achieve this goal, we will organize a series of four interdisciplinary workshops, bringing together experts from diverse fields of the humanities, such as language studies, cultural history, political propaganda, and linguage anthropology. Additionally, the project’s insights and findings will be published in a collaborative open-access publication, curated by the project’s coordinator.

Project coordination

• Han Lamers, Full Professor of Classics at the University of Oslo (NO)

Network members

France

• Marie-Laurence Haack, University Professor of Ancient History (Université de Picardie)

Danemark

• Magnus Pharao Hansen, Assistant Professor, Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen.