Languages and the Military

For the first time, this book explores the role of foreign languages in military alliances, in occupation and in peace building, through detailed case studies from Ireland, Britain, France, Finland, Slovenia, Korea, Bosnia and Cyprus, ranging from the eighteenth century until today. It adopts a multidisciplinary perspective, bringing together academic researchers and practitioners – from the military, and from the museum and interpreting worlds. The book raises key issues about communication, identity and representation in war, and argues that the complex linguistic dimensions of conflict and peace operations are of major relevance to military planners, civilian agencies, museums and the media.

HILARY FOOTITT is a professor and senior research fellow in the School of Languages and European Studies, University of Reading, UK. Her research interests include women in politics, war and liberation in France and the development of language policy. Previous publications include War and Liberation in France (Palgrave 2004) and Women, Europe and the New Languages of Politics. Hilary is Principal Investigator for the AHRC project, Languages at War, and is an editorial board member for the Journal of War and Culture Studies.

MICHAEL KELLY is a professor of French in the Modern Languages Department, University of Southampton, UK. His research interests include French culture and society and public policy on languages. Mike is Director of the UK Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies (Southampton), with a remit to support these subjects in higher education across the UK. His previous publications include The Cultural and Intellectual Rebuilding of France after the Second World War (Palgrave 2004), The European Language Teacher (co-authored) and Setting the Agenda for Languages in Higher Education (co-edited).