Qüestions de llengua i representació: el món catalanoparlant entre diferències i semblances

Our self-image is shaped through dynamic, context-dependent discursive processes influenced by how we view others and how they view us. These representations often rely on linguistic resources and cultural traditions, highlighting binary oppositions—frequently negative—to define identity. While common sense tends to favor such oppositions, difference only gains meaning alongside similarity. Across disciplines, both aspects are crucial in shaping identity narratives. Recently, however, binary and essentialist identity discourses have gained strength globally due to political and ideological factors. This trend is especially evident today in Catalan-speaking contexts, raising concerns about how identities are constructed and represented in public discourse. This study begins by reflecting on the complex issue of representing the self, the collective "us," and the Other—an enduring concern across the humanities addressed through multiple perspectives and purposes. Rather than aiming for an exhaustive overview, we present a selection of frameworks that focus on the representation of social actors and events using linguistic and discursive approaches. More specifically, we introduce four key theoretical frameworks: critical discourse studies, imagology, narrative theory, and framing. These approaches are inherently multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and often interwoven. They offer essential tools to analyze how identities and social realities are constructed discursively and interpreted through sociolinguistic, cognitive, and—though not explored here—literary lenses. A central goal of these frameworks is to understand how individuals use language and cognition to make sense of their lives and environments. Language plays a pivotal role in shaping social meaning and identity, acting as the medium through which belonging and difference are negotiated. This aligns with classic classification theories proposed by Durkheim and Lévi-Strauss, which emphasize the social function of organizing the world through oppositions and affinities. While conceptually related, the selected approaches differ in hierarchy, focus, and method. The study first outlines their distinct features and contributions to understanding identity representation. It then explores how these frameworks intersect and complement one another, concluding with a rationale for their inclusion in this collective scholarly effort.