15 July 2026, by Marianne Mettjes

Photo: Arbeitsstelle Theologie der Friedenskirchen

Language as a Mirror of Society

Hybrid Course

Václav Havel, Czech dissident and President of the Czech Republic from 1989, believed that all important events in the real world—the beautiful as well as the monstrous—always have their prelude in language. Language is everywhere.

Language holds power and constructs reality. It reflects dissent and consensus; language can radicalize or build bridges of understanding; language can manipulate and exclude. Currently, we notice how language is changing, for example, to justify rearmament and the militarization of society. This course examines how language in words and images is currently used in society, in churches, and in various groups. Language is human-made—and it reacts back upon us. It shapes societies, and societies shape it.

We will explore how language works and the mechanisms behind its use. Based on current statements in various media and groups, we want to analyze what language reveals about our time. The foundation for this course is the book "LTI" (The Language of the Third Reich) by Victor Klemperer.

The course will be held in German and will take place in person every two weeks; every other week online.

Tuesdays, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Dates: 20.10.26, 03.11.26, 17.11.26, 01.12.26, 15.12.26, 12.01.27, 26.01.27

Online participation dor all dates is also possible. Please register via email by 1 October 2026: friedenskirchen"AT"uni-hamburg.de