We invite you to an open lecture "Vladimir Putin, Normative Isomorphism, and the Language/Dialect Dichotomy"
This paper analyzes Vladimir Putin’s 2021 essay “On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians” as an example of political rhetoric invoking the language/dialect dichotomy.
Curiously, Putin argued both that Ukrainian is a “dialect” of a greater Russian language and that Ukrainian is a distinct “language” different from Russian. As a form of political rhetoric,
the language/dialect dichotomy draws its power from normative isomorphism, the idea that languages, nations, and states ought to coincide. According to the logic of normative isomorphism, claiming that Russian and Ukrainian are separate “languages” gives the Russian Federation a claim to annex the Russian speaking south-east of Ukraine, while claiming that Ukrainian is a “dialect” of Russian would justify the Russian Federation’s annexation of Ukraine in its entirety. By endorsing both positions, Putin’s speech provided pre-emptively justifications for different policies. Neither the language/dialect dichotomy nor normative isomorphism offer a solid basis for political legitimacy.
The lecture will be conducted by Alexander Maxwell, associate professor of history at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand. He is the author of Choosing Slovakia, Patriots Against Fashion, and Everyday Nationalism in Hungary. His research interests include national awakening, linguistic nationalism, and the nationalization of everyday practices.
The event will take place on 3 December, 9:45AM at IIRPS VU Room 303.
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We kindly invite everyone to attend other lectures given by the Associate Professor:
● 1 Dec. 17.00: "Linguistic Panslavism in the Habsburg State Apparatus", room 314AB;
● 3 Dec. 9.45: "Vladimir Putin, Normative Isomorphism, and the Language/Dialect Dichotomy", Institute of International Relations and Political Science at Vilnius University (TSPMI), 303 room;
● 4 Dec. 17.00: "The Myth of Circassian Beauty: Chauvinism, Racism and Sexual Fantasy", room 118 (Krėvės);
● 5 Dec. 15.00: "Restoring Polylingual nationalism to East-Central European Historiography: Hungary as a case study", Room 314AB;
● 8 Dec. 17.00: Debate "Limits of lingusitic agnosticism" (with researchers from the Faculty of Philology at Vilnius University, Assoc. Prof Vladimir Panov and Assoc. Prof Vuk Vukotić), "Donelaitis" room;
● 9 Dec. 17.00: "National Uniforms, Sartorial Sovereignty, and Democratization", room 314AB.
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