Dr. Mohamed Abdallah Younes‏‏

At first glance, the political significance of language might seem abstract or academic, but in today's interconnected world, language has become a key tool for both power and identity. From generative AI revolutionizing cross-cultural communication to cultural shifts in West Africa, language politics is shaping the way nations interact and assert their influence.Throughout history, language has played a much deeper role than simple communication. In an era marked by the resurgence of identity politics and rising nationalism, language has become a key instrument of power. It is capable of redrawing geopolitical maps and directing events in a way that crosses the internal and international borders. The significance of language is growing, especially in the age of AI-driven content creation, due to its critical role in shaping collective consciousness and influencing public opinion. This is evident in disinformation campaigns, where falsified and fabricated messages are used to manipulate the public and shape their worldview.Revolution of Political ExpressionTraditionally, language has played a fundamental role in shaping the political and social landscape. It directs public discourse, controls societies, and reinforces or challenges authority. It is certainly more than just a tool for communication. It is a force used to build identities, manage conflicts, and achieve political consensus. Recently, the focus on language and its use in political conflicts has seemed to be increasing in an unprecedented manner as one of the dimensions of internal polarization as well as conflicts between global powers. This can be reviewed in numerous political contexts such as:1- Criticism of the accents and expressions of US presidential candidates: Former independent president-elect in the US, Robert Kennedy Jr., criticized in an interview with the News Nation network on September 4, US Vice President and Democratic Party candidate Kamala Harris, claiming that she could not formulate a correct English sentence. Meanwhile, the Republican candidate for the US presidential elections, Donald Trump, highlighted a change in Harris’ accent, and her attempts to imitate the way African Americans speak to frame her as part of this voting bloc. He went further to describe her as a "chameleon" who changes colors according to the voting blocs she strives to attract.This focus on language also extends to political figures, whose ability to communicate clearly is often scrutinized. For example, Trump has faced criticism regarding his way of speaking and populist comments rich material to attract viewers. On September 5, 2024, the famous TV host Jimmy Kimmel prepared complied clips of Trump's speeches during his election campaign during which he was unable to pronounce some words or complete phrases and sentences, mocking the former US president and his ability to express himself. 2- Employing the Ukrainian language in the war with Russia: The power of language isn’t limited to domestic politics. In international conflicts, such as the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, language serves as a battleground in its own right. Historically, Russia has viewed Ukrainian not as an independent language but as a minor dialect or offshoot of Russian. During the extended periods of Russian rule over Ukraine, there were operations to impose the Russian language and end the linguistic independence of Ukraine, which resulted in the consolidation of the bilingual nature in this country until the Ukrainian war erupted on February 24, 2022, when Ukraine began successive measures to disengage from Russian culture.It started by completely separating the Ukrainian language from the Russian, imposing Ukrainian as the sole official language within the state. Volunteers from Ukrainian nationalists started campaigns to teach the Ukrainian language in various provinces of the country. In parallel, in June 2024, the Ukrainian Parliament ratified a law stipulating that English is the language of international communication in Ukraine and that various state services will be available in English. The law also stipulates expanding educational opportunities in English, and supporting the screening of films in English that include translation instead of dubbing. The new law aims to emphasize integration into the Western bloc represented by NATO militarily and the European Union politically and economically, and to distance itself from anything Russian. Under this legislation, a large number of Ukrainian government officials are now expected to reach a certain level of fluency in English so that they can communicate in English with their Western counterparts.3- Language conflicts in the civil war in Myanmar: Although the Burmese language is a symbol of military nationalism that ruled the country for decades, the civil war between the ruling military regime and rebel groups includes a parallel clash between the Burmese language, spoken by two-thirds of the population, and more than 100 local languages ​​spoken by ethnic minorities fighting against the ruling regime, including the Shan language; spoken by 3.2 million people, the Karen language; spoken by 2.6 million people, and other languages ​​such as Tamil, Mon, and Hmong-Mian. The military’s suppression of minority languages, along with political and cultural marginalization, has driven these groups to join rebel movements and take up arms against the regime. It is no surprise that poets such as Maung Saungkha are at the forefront of the military rebel movements, as he leads the "Bamar People's Liberation Army", which is based in the forests of eastern Myanmar, and seeks to secede the region from Myanmar and declare it an independent state. The New York Times, in its investigation published on July 16, 2024, described him as "The Poet Who Commands a Rebel Army". The report also stated that many poets from different ethnicities have joined resistance movements against the military rule following the 2021 coup, in a country where poetry is considered a fundamental icon in its cultural heritage and daily life. At least six poets have been killed since the beginning of the war, and the military council has imprisoned at least 30 others. A line from Saungkha’s poetry: "For peace in Myanmar, we need war first" has become a slogan for rebel movements in the region.4- The decline of the French language in West Africa: West Africa is witnessing radical transformations in cultural and linguistic identity, as countries such as Burkina Faso and Mali have begun to abandon French as an official language, and adopt local languages ​​instead. In December 2023, the government of Burkina Faso announced a proposal to amend the constitution to make national languages ​​official, a step towards strengthening cultural sovereignty and abandoning linguistic dependence on France. A local television channel was launched, broadcasting in 12 national languages, to enhance communication between the population. This trend reflects the growing desire to strengthen local identities and revive indigenous languages ​​that were long dominated by French during the colonial era.The decline of the French language in West Africa is not limited to Burkina Faso. During the presidential elections in Senegal in July 2024, the new Senegalese president presented an independence discourse in his election campaign that tended to end dependence on France, proposing the idea of ​​adopting Arabic as an alternative to the French language. In June 2023, Mali adopted a new constitution that dropped French as an official language, making it a working language only, recognizing the national languages instead. Rwanda was among the first countries to abandon French in 2003 in favor of English, and in 2021 Gabon withdrew from the Francophonie Organization and joined the Commonwealth. These changes, along with the interruption of French channels in Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali, represent a severe blow to the French cultural project in its former colonies, and indicate a decline in its linguistic influence in the region.5- The rise of religious tone in Indian nationalist discourse: Indian political discourse is witnessing an increase in the use of Hindu vocabulary and citations on the part of the leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party, which was clearly evident in the legislative elections during the period from April to June 2024. The party embraces the ideology of Hindutva, which equates Hindu nationalism with national identity, leading to tensions and conflicts with other religious and social groups in India. The citizenship law that came into effect in March 2024 is an example of these ideas. The law, which was passed in 2019, sparked deadly protests due to objections from some minorities and opposition movements. The law allows for granting Indian citizenship to refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh who are Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Christians, which some activists in other minorities, especially Muslims, considered discrimination in favour of other groups.6- Implementing the French Language Protection Act in Quebec, Canada: Despite protests from English speakers, the Canadian province of Quebec has begun Bill 96 &amp; Quebec's Language Law, which limits the use of English in certain places. French has been adopted as the official language of civil administration and all government institutions in the province. Government services will be provided exclusively in French starting in June 2023, including services provided to new immigrants. Proficiency in French is also a condition for accepting immigration and residency applications in the province. Companies must declare the percentage of their employees who do not speak French. Contracts as well as terms of service are also drafted in French.Passing this bill comes in parallel with the adoption of amendments to the Immigration Act in Canada, which emphasized the importance of the French language, describing it as threatened and in need of protection. The amendments stressed the importance of Francophone immigration for French minority communities in Quebec and beyond, and that priority should be given to French-speaking immigrants and their engagement in private businesses according to the federal regulations. Moreover, it encourages providing services in French, and appointing French-speaking judges to the Supreme Court in order to improve access to justice.The Rise of "Language Politics"By highlighting the countless ways in which language can be politically employed as a fundamental tool for consolidating power as well as cultural hegemony, it could be argued that shaping the public discourse and controlling the collective consciousness have become a key political priority—especially in the era of awakening of nationalism and sub-identities. There is a struggle to define the "self" and the "other" and to create clear divisions between them in a decisive manner to consolidate the opposition between the two opposites. In this context, several approaches can clarify the intersection of language and power in social and political structures, making it a pivotal factor in shaping political reality and cultural hegemony.1- Control of political discourse: In his book "The Order of Discourse," Michel Foucault emphasizes that discourse is not merely a means of communication but a tool for controlling what can be thought and spoken about. Through regulating discourse via institutions and laws, societies define what is acceptable and prohibited, creating a social "reality" that governs individuals.Foucault notes that discourse is an arena of struggle between different forces seeking to control and direct it to serve their interests. These ongoing struggles over discourse confirm that knowledge production is linked to power. Therefore, Foucault suggests that discourse analysis is a means of uncovering the mechanisms through which power is exercised and the possibility of liberation, by re-framing and re-understanding the discourse structure.2- Imposing cultural hegemony: Language is used to impose cultural hegemony by elites through education and media to shape society's worldview. According to Antonio Gramsci, dominant elites do not rely solely on physical or economic power but also on imposing a system of ideas and values that are seen as "natural" or "legitimate" by the public. Educational institutions and media outlets play a crucial role in disseminating these values, shaping collective consciousness, and convincing individuals to accept the status quo as a natural and unchangeable condition that serves everyone's interest.The U.S. uses media and film to promote its culture, enhancing its influence abroad. This indirectly consolidates American and Western values, making them appear as the default way the world works.3- Shaping collective identity: In his book "Imagined Communities," Benedict Anderson emphasizes the central role of language in forming national identity. Language can bring individuals together within an "imagined community," where its members feel a shared identity, even if they have not met or interacted directly. Through shared discourse, language can express the collective values and vision that unite community members.For example, the establishment of the nation-state in India after independence was linked to the dissemination and teaching of the Hindi language to consolidate national identity by the elite in power. Despite the vast linguistic diversity within the country, with several local languages coexisting, such as Tamil and Bengali, Hindi remained a bridge for common communication, strengthening the sense of national belonging.4- Creating communication outlets: Language is an important medium for communication within a society. According to Jürgen Habermas, "Communicative Action" involves interactions between individuals aimed at mutual understanding, rational dialogue, shared consensus, and cooperation through open and transparent language. This enables conflict resolution and social integration on a rational basis. It does not require unifying languages or speaking a single language to conduct rational dialogue of this kind. In the European Union, the policy of united languages was adopted to help all member states to express their positions and opinions with the utmost precision in meetings, thus, enhancing everyone's participation in political discussions and ensuring equal opportunities for expressing opinions.5- Containing political conflict: In politics, words are the only legitimate weapon available for elites with opposing ideas to use. Pierre Bourdieu sees language in political conflicts as "Symbolic Capital" that enables elites to determine how society understands the status-quo. It is used as a means to promote or challenge specific positions. The struggle over meanings and linguistic definitions reflects a broader struggle over power and political influence. In this context, phenomena are explained in different terms according to each party's orientations. For example, what one political side describes as terrorism or insurgency is described by the other as resistance or legitimate struggle.An era of "Content Creation"Against the aforementioned background of traditional dynamics between language and power on the relationship between language and power, the world is embarking on a new world that is changing the nature of language and its political and social uses. The first signs of this change began with the proliferation and diversity of social media platforms, which have become highly influential entities in shaping political discourse and directing public opinion in unprecedented ways. These tools have empowered individual voices and groups to influence public political debates, making political discourse more pluralistic and more widespread.In this context, political elites have started focusing on "creating trends," attracting "influencers" on social media, and controlling "viral images" and "video clips." Political speeches have become shorter, and more concise. Political discussions are becoming increasingly snappier, with individuals directly covering and shaping political events like never before.In the next wave, Big Data analysis allowed for a deeper understanding of audience preferences and tendencies, enabling the design of political campaigns capable of influencing public direction and steering reactions. The Cambridge Analytica case, for example, demonstrated how social media user data could be employed to analyze and direct election campaigns, including the Brexit campaign and the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as media wars and disinformation campaigns, which have become more sophisticated than ever.Now we are witnessing a new linguistic revolution with the rise of Generative AI and Language Models, which can, through simple prompts, produce professional content, including text, images, music, and videos. Instead of merely analyzing data or making decisions based on specific patterns, Generative AI can produce new and unique outputs that sometimes reach the level of creativity.With the rise of more advanced AI models, language has assumed a more complex and influential dimension in the political field. Instead of relying solely on traditional means to control visions and direct discourse, smart systems have become capable of producing renewed political content based on comprehensive data analysis. These systems allow for the design of speeches specifically targeted to certain segments of the audience, enabling profound influence on public opinion with unprecedented speed and accuracy. In this context, election and media campaigns increasingly rely on AI for immediate interaction with political and social developments.The political implications of this transformation are significant. Political elites now seek to utilize these tools to enhance their power by exploiting weaknesses in public discourse, including spreading misinformation and influence campaigns through bots and smart systems that create false impressions. This has gone beyond written discourse or fake news to the creation of reality-matching images and fake videos (Deep Fake) that are indistinguishable from the real ones. Consequently, truth fades, and opportunities for constructive political dialogue vanish under the chaos of false expressions and the creation of deceptive content, placing AI as a proxy participant in shaping and directing political events and ideologies. We are at a critical juncture in the history of political expression, focused on how to balance the immense power of this technology with the need to preserve the authenticity of language, and the credibility of statements, cues, and messages presented to the public.

Why is the Debate over Language Intensifying in International Relations?