ETHNOSCHISM explores the historical, linguistic, and literary construction of national identities through the lens of ethnotypes—culturally ingrained stereotypes about national and ethnic groups. The project critically examines how these ethnotypes were shaped, circulated, and weaponized in early 20th-century Europe, a period marked by the rise of nationalism, World War I, and significant ideological shifts. The study focuses on understanding how national identities were not only reflected in texts but actively constructed and reinforced through discourse, influencing wartime alliances, cultural hierarchies, and postwar national identities.
The research builds on foundational theories by scholars such as Benedict Anderson, Miroslav Hroch, and Anne-Marie Thiesse, who highlight how national identities are socially and discursively constructed. ETHNOSCHISM expands these perspectives by incorporating interdisciplinary and transnational approaches. It investigates how ethnotypes were deployed in political, social, and cultural discourse during World War I, particularly in relation to the Teutonic (Germanic) and Latin (Romance) divides, which were emphasized during the conflict. These essentialist stereotypes, often framed in racial, moral, or civilizational terms, were disseminated widely through propaganda, literature, and popular culture, shaping how nations viewed themselves and each other.
A key objective of ETHNOSCHISM is to understand how these national stereotypes were produced, circulated, and reinforced not only in historical and literary texts but also in other media forms. The study argues that ethnotypes were more than rhetorical devices; they played a crucial role in shaping wartime alliances, cultural hierarchies, and postwar national identities.
The research employs a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary methodology that integrates historical, linguistic, and literary analysis. The study uses three primary methodological frameworks:
1. Transnational and Interdisciplinary History of National Thought: This approach contextualizes national stereotypes within broader historical processes, examining how ethnotypes emerge and evolve through transnational exchanges.
2. Discourse Historical Approach (DHA): A critical discourse analysis method that explores how nationalist discourses are shaped by historical contexts and embedded in textual sources, revealing implicit meanings and ideological underpinnings.
3. Imagology: A branch of comparative literature that focuses on the construction and perpetuation of national stereotypes in literary and cultural narratives.
The research draws from a broad corpus of primary sources, including:
- World War I propaganda materials, particularly those reflecting the Franco-German opposition through ethnic and national stereotypes.
- Academic and pseudo-scientific texts on national character, such as early 20th-century ethnology, psychology, and political science.
- Popular culture materials and media
Work Packages (WPs)
ETHNOSCHISM is organized into several work packages (WPs) to systematically address different research goals:
- WP1 focuses on the historical genealogy of Teutonic and Latin identities in wartime rhetoric, analyzing how these ethnotypes were used in World War I.
- WP2 and WP3 investigate the political and cultural impact of popular stereotypes, including gendered representations of national identities.
- WP4 examines the integration of literary and cultural repertoires of ethnotypes and their political functions across Europe.
Overall, the project aims to offer an integrated and interdisciplinary understanding of how national stereotypes were constructed, disseminated, and used during a critical period of European history. By analyzing a diverse range of sources and employing innovative methodologies, ETHNOSCHISM will deepen our understanding of how ethnotypes influenced political, social, and cultural dynamics in early 20th-century Europe.
