Negotiating memories through language: an analysis of the choice of an official language during state-building in Timor-Leste

ABSTRACT

The main objective of this work is to contribute to the literature on memory in post-conflict societies by considering how the choice of an official language is entangled in memory politics. Particularly, in Timor-Leste, the choice of Portuguese as the official language reflects an effort to create a narrative of the heroism of the ‘Generation of 75’ whilst silencing the efforts and memories of the ‘Geração Foun’ (young generation)’ during the fight for independence. Therefore, in the constituency of the new state, language plays a crucial role in post-conflict efforts to (re) establish political foundations for the state and define how individuals will be remembered. This paper analyses the case of Timor-Leste and disputes over the choice of an official language after the re-establishment of independence in 2002.

KEYWORDS:

• Memory
• trauma
• statebuilding
• language
• Timor-Leste

Acknowledgments

The author wishes to thank Prof. Kai Michael Kenkel for his guidance in the master’s thesis on which this article is based; Prof. Jenny Edkins and Lara Ribeiro Pinto for their help commenting and reviewing this article. The author thanks the support of The University of Manchester.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the work

Notes on contributors

Marcelle Trote Martins

Marcelle Trote Martins is a doctoral researcher in the Department of Politics at the University of Manchester. Marcelle holds a master’s degree in International Relations from the Institute of International Relations – Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio) and a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the same institution. Areas of interest: International Conflicts, Memory and Trauma, Visual Politics, Emotion Studies and Timor-Leste.