University of Gothenburg

Language in Society

The researchers involved in our research area focus on language, writing and cultural heritage from either linguistic-historical, sociolinguistic, social semiotic, epigraphic and text-critical perspectives. We research on form, transmission and change in both contemporary and historical materials.

Our research area brings together doctoral students, teachers and researchers with a philological and linguistic focus.

The focus of our seminar series is on philological and linguistic issues surrounding writing and text. We discuss fundamental theoretical questions and apply them to both modern and historical material. Questions we work on are the following:

  • What is writing? How does writing relate to the concepts of text, language and image?
  • What is the value and function of writing and text from a social, economic and political perspective?
  • How does it vary over time and space? How is writing produced, consumed and distributed?
  • Who uses writing when and for what?