Intersections of Language, Identity and Culture

This seminar explores the intersections of language, identity, and culture, with a particular focus on bilingualism and biculturalism. Central to the discussion is a phenomenon known as the Foreign Language Effect, which refers to the general dissimilarities between native and foreign language processing in emotionally charged contexts. From this perspective, attention is drawn to how multilingual individuals may experience different responses and behaviours depending on the language being used. The seminar further considers how bilingual experience can influence attitudes toward tolerance of ambiguity, as well as beliefs related to superstition, conspiracy, and core knowledge confusion. By integrating insights from cognitive science and linguistic research, cultural perspectives and literary insights, the talk highlights the complexity of the relationship between language, culture and identity in contemporary societies, where multilingualism and multiculturalism are increasingly widespread.