Languages at war: policies and practices of language contacts in conflict.

In military studies, the role of culture in war is seen as vital. Although foreign languages are often a key part of cultural encounters in war, those who study conflict have traditionally paid little attention to their role. Historians have tended to see languages as an ancillary part of diplomatic relations. Discourse analysts in this context have looked at language in general, rather than at foreign languages. Translation specialists have concentrated on the role of the language intermediary, the interpreter or translator, rather than on the language experiences of non-linguist combatants and civilians. This lack of systematic study of language experience in war has encouraged us to focus on the first hand accounts of soldiers and civilians caught up in conflict, and to examine the relationship of these experiences to official foreign language policymaking for war.

'Languages at War' brings together specialists from two universities in an innovative association with the Imperial War Museum, which has an unrivalled coverage of international conflict since 1914, including some 60,000 hours of sound recordings with participants. The lead investigators have an academic background in cultures of war, as well as in the development of foreign language policies, and their universities, Reading and Southampton, provide a supportive interdisciplinary environment for this research, with specialists in European histories and cultures, strategic and military studies, and transnational contacts.

The project will examine two related but contrasting case studies, one on invasion/occupation (Europe, 1944-47), and one on peacekeeping (Bosnia, 1995-1998). Both case studies concern twentieth century joint Allied intervention in continental Europe, but are contrasting in two important respects. Firstly, the nature of the command structure is different in each: in the case of Europe in 1944-47, Allied commanders worked together, but operated in separate theatres of war, whereas in Bosnia, troops were deployed in a multilateral integrated command force. Secondly, the missions in the two case studies pose contrasting sorts of language encounter: the first positions troops as invaders and occupiers of hostile territory, the second places them as peacekeepers between blocs of opposing enemies. Archive and publicly available resources will enable us to study the official language policies relating to the two situations, and these will be set against the extensive witness statements of participants which are held in the Imperial War Museum, and which will be supplemented by additional interviews recorded by the project team.

We believe that this project will enable us to develop a framework for analysing the role of languages in war which can be transferred to other war and conflict situations. 'Languages at War' aims to ensure that the relevance of foreign languages to war enters into the public arena in a way which is backed up by robust academic research, and which will serve to inform public debate and stimulate the future thinking of all those concerned. Through the active participation of the Imperial War Museum, the project will raise the profile of foreign languages in future Museum displays, exhibitions and programme planning which address the general public. Through the 'Languages at War' Advisory Group, agencies engaged in the training of personnel for international relations and war, including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence, will have an opportunity to comment, discuss and share results.