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Article published In:
Journal of Language and Politics
Vol. 20:4 (2021) ► pp.607–625

National construction and popular erasure in Colombia

A concept analysis of the legitimation and delegitimation of social relations in Colombia through the language of its foundational documents: 1810–1991

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This article analyses the diachronic symbolic struggle (1810–1991) waged in Colombia’s foundational documents over the legitimation and delegitimation of social relations through the concepts “people” and “nation.” Following the introduction, the method and theory are explained: concept analysis and language-based social ontology. The analysis of the foundational documents follows. These are analysed as extended status function declarations that attempt to legitimate and delegitimate the concepts “people” and “nation”, in order to authorize/deauthorize possible social relations. On the basis of the analysis, the conclusion briefly specifies the discourse of nationism as the ontologisation and wielding of the idea of the nation against internal dissent/opposition, and points up the fundamental importance of symbolic practice in the struggle to change social reality.

Keywords: Colombia, social ontology, concept analysis, nation, people, status function declarations, legitimation, constitutionalism, nationism
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Concept-analysis and de/legitimation
  • 3.Status function declarations
    • 3.1X terms, Y terms, and deontologies
    • 3.2The nation as freestanding Y term
  • 4.The foundational documents
    • 4.1The popular documents
    • 4.2The national documents
  • 5.Conclusion: Nationism and the ersatz people
  • Note
  • References
Published online: 2 November 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/jlp.19042.lob
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