Elements of French and German Role Constructions, 1958–1998: Core Components, Vocabulary, and Historical Reference Points

Abstract

From the late 1950s and far into the 1990s, the central elements of the French and German historically rooted constructions of self and purpose demonstrated high degrees of robustness and consistency. Over the same period, key aspects of their respective historical domestic constructions also diverged sharply. Dissimilar sets of vocabulary and terminology associated with such elements of historically rooted constructions mirrored and underscored these differences. The two countries’ disparate role-views stem from contrasting historical experiences, differently placed emphases on particular aspects thereof, and domestically dominant interpretations of those select aspects. Researching and delineating manifestations of such rooted national constructions comparatively also brings to light more clearly what a particular role and purpose is not, and what interests and policies do not derive from it. Like any such or similar constructions, Germany’s and France’s dominant interpretations of collective self and purpose in the world during these decades are also the sum of momentous absences.