The Language(s) of Politics: Multilingual Policy-Making in the European Union - Hardcover

Nils Ringe (author)

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0472075136 ISBN 13: 9780472075133

Publisher: University of Michigan Press, 2022

Synopsis

Multilingualism is an ever-present feature in political contexts around the world, including multilingual states and international organizations. Increasingly, consequential political decisions are negotiated between politicians who do not share a common native language. Nils Ringe uses the European Union to investigate how politicians’ reliance on shared foreign languages and translation services affects politics and policy-making. Ringe's research illustrates how multilingualism is an inherent and consequential feature of EU politics—that it depoliticizes policy-making by reducing its political nature and potential for conflict. An atmosphere with both foreign language use and a reliance on translation leads to communication that is simple, utilitarian, neutralized, and involves commonly shared phrases and expressions. Policymakers tend to disregard politically charged language and they are constrained in their ability to use vague or ambiguous language to gloss over disagreements by the need for consistency across languages.

About this title

About the Author

Nils Ringe is Professor of Political Science and Director of the Jean Monnet European Union Center of Excellence at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Michigan Press
• Publication date: 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0472075136
• ISBN 13: 9780472075133
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 224