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Identity Politics
[Journal of Language and Politics 1:1] 2002
► pp. 3–22

Language, identity and war

| George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies

How are language, identity and war related? This exploratory essay probes the conceptual and logical connections among these three elemental factors of human existence, offers thoughts about an alternative discourse, and takes a look at suggestive data regarding the tie between violence and identity. I posit that who we are, what we say and when we fight are inseparable from one another. In this argumentative essay, language is seen as forming a nucleus of identity, identity as being forged in conflict, and discourse marking our path to, through and out of war and peace. Abating identity threats through identity-affirming discourse may, I conclude, be the best and most lasting tool towards peace.

Keywords: language, war, identity, violence, conflict, peace, discourse, democracy
Published online: 16 August 2002
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/jlp.1.1.04nel
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