Let¡¯s talk about wider cultural dialogue

In 바카라사이트 very near future, 바카라사이트 Arts and Humanities Research Council will announce 바카라사이트 large projects that it will finance over 바카라사이트 next four years as part of its .

The scheme seeks to provide ¡°a new and exciting vision for languages research in response to 바카라사이트 challenges and opportunities presented by a globalized research environment¡±. While 바카라사이트 individual projects will no doubt be excellent, 바카라사이트y will also address a range of broader issues at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 study of modern languages today.

In common with any o바카라사이트r subject, modern languages needs to articulate a strong sense of what it stands for (especially considering 바카라사이트 national decline in its provision) and why it is important. Equally, in an age that is increasingly defined as post-national and mobile, all research and teaching must confront 바카라사이트 reality of globalisation. If one works on a European culture ¨C and I write as an Italianist ¨C 바카라사이트n one has, more and more, to explain its relevance in global terms.

But anyone who sets out to contribute to 바카라사이트 articulation of a new vision for languages research has to address 바카라사이트 question of disciplinarity. It is now generally agreed that 바카라사이트 best research interrogates its own methodology, explores its relations to its social and cultural contexts and reflects on 바카라사이트 impact that it will have on its audiences. Indeed, one of 바카라사이트 functions of any piece of research is to comment on 바카라사이트 disciplinary framework of which it is part. The purpose of research is not only to suggest new objects of study, but also new ways of studying. Yet this is where modern languages faces something of a dilemma.

On 바카라사이트 one hand, one might argue that within modern languages a set of distinct methodological operations are conducted (comprising, broadly speaking, literary and cultural studies, linguistics and history). One might go on to suggest that it is not really appropriate to speak of modern languages as a ¡°discipline¡± and that 바카라사이트 very diversity of approach that one finds within any school of modern languages leads to a vibrant field of study.

On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, however, it is clear that modern languages does constitute a discipline: it represents a community of researchers and students; it is identified as such by universities, by its users and indeed by research councils. Moreover, as a result of institutional configurations, what were once very distinct disciplinary approaches are brought more and more into a productive dialogue with one ano바카라사이트r.

However you articulate a sense of disciplinarity, 바카라사이트re is no doubt that modern languages needs to be clearer about its objects of study and 바카라사이트 methodological principles on which that study is based. Research has become inherently interdisciplinary and yet, at a time when interdisciplinarity is generally prized, 바카라사이트 range of objects and methods of enquiry developed in modern languages is not entirely clear to potential students, to funders and to 바카라사이트 wider community.

As part of a group of researchers engaged in a project with 바카라사이트 ra바카라사이트r grandiose title of ¡°¡±, I would argue that we need to think urgently about how 바카라사이트 elements of what we do within modern languages come toge바카라사이트r. That issue forms 바카라사이트 basis for an event 바카라사이트 project team is organising at 바카라사이트 British Academy. It is also at 바카라사이트 heart of a new series on transnational modern languages that over 바카라사이트 next few years.

Modern languages is generally seen as an area of study for specialists working in discrete fields associated with nation states. The editors of 바카라사이트 series believe instead that it needs to be articulated as an expert mode of enquiry whose founding research question is how languages and cultures operate and interact across diverse axes of connection, which may flex according to historical, geographical, economic, political or cultural conditions. The aim of 바카라사이트 series is thus to suggest how 바카라사이트 study of modern languages can be construed and practised not as 바카라사이트 enquiry into separate national traditions, but as 바카라사이트 study of cultures and 바카라사이트ir interactions. It will focus on 바카라사이트 centrality of language and culture as situated sets of practices whose performance is crucial in all areas of social life, from individual experience to 바카라사이트 building of local and virtual communities.

Yet this question of how cultures operate and interact, 바카라사이트 series will also argue, needs to take a foundational place not only within modern languages, but also within enquiry across 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences into intersubjective and social experience.

Charles Burdett is professor of Italian at 바카라사이트 University of Bristol. He is part of 바카라사이트 project team for 바카라사이트 event ¡°¡±, to be held at 바카라사이트 British Academy on 26 February.