TY - CHAP

T1 - From Geopolitics to Linguopolitics: Studying the Language Factor in International Relations (A Pre-history)

AU - Chernov, Igor

AU - Ivannikov , I.

AU - Gudalov, Nikolay

N1 - Chernov I., Ivannikov I., Gudalov N. (2021) From Geopolitics to Linguopolitics: Studying the Language Factor in International Relations (A Pre-history). In: Bolgov R. et al. (eds) Proceedings of Topical Issues in International Political Geography. Springer Geography. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78690-8_35

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - This paper is aimed at identifying key stages in the development of the so-called ‘linguistic-political realism’ in the theory of international relations (IR). It is trough language that the paradox of the impossibility of comprehending the objective social world without the aid of its subjective description is lifted. From the viewpoint of linguistics, human language as the basic sign system has numerous functions, the most important of which are the cognitive and the communicative functions. The cognitive function consists in that linguistic signs enable humans to think, i.e., the nature of our consciousness is tied to signs. It is therefore due to this function that the whole real world (both physical and social) around us is accessible for us only through language. The communicative function of language enables any interaction between individuals, and thus creates all social forms (society, state, nation etc.). ‘Linguistic-political realism’ is understood as a strand of social philosophical enquiry (irrespective of authors’ ontological position) which specifically distinguishes an ‘objective’ role of the language factor in both the development of an individual society and the interaction of societies speaking different languages. Consideration is given to elements of linguistic-political realism in various social philosophical approaches from antiquity to Marxism, which was the last integral philosophical system and predated the emergence of sociology and International Relations theory as separate academic disciplines.

AB - This paper is aimed at identifying key stages in the development of the so-called ‘linguistic-political realism’ in the theory of international relations (IR). It is trough language that the paradox of the impossibility of comprehending the objective social world without the aid of its subjective description is lifted. From the viewpoint of linguistics, human language as the basic sign system has numerous functions, the most important of which are the cognitive and the communicative functions. The cognitive function consists in that linguistic signs enable humans to think, i.e., the nature of our consciousness is tied to signs. It is therefore due to this function that the whole real world (both physical and social) around us is accessible for us only through language. The communicative function of language enables any interaction between individuals, and thus creates all social forms (society, state, nation etc.). ‘Linguistic-political realism’ is understood as a strand of social philosophical enquiry (irrespective of authors’ ontological position) which specifically distinguishes an ‘objective’ role of the language factor in both the development of an individual society and the interaction of societies speaking different languages. Consideration is given to elements of linguistic-political realism in various social philosophical approaches from antiquity to Marxism, which was the last integral philosophical system and predated the emergence of sociology and International Relations theory as separate academic disciplines.

KW - International relations

KW - Philosophy of language

KW - Marxism

KW - International relations theory

KW - Political realism

KW - Postmodernism

KW - Linguistic-political realism

UR - https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-78690-8_35

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85109862085&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/978-3-030-78690-8_35

DO - 10.1007/978-3-030-78690-8_35

M3 - Chapter

SN - 978-3-030-78689-2

T3 - Springer Geography

SP - 407

EP - 415

BT - Proceedings of Topical Issues in International Political Geography

A2 - Bolgov, Radomir

A2 - null, et al.

PB - Springer Nature

CY - Cham

ER -