Language is shaped by society and society, in turn, shapes language. While large parts of analytic philosophy of language have focused on the function of language to represent the world, other, social functions of language have now come into philosophical focus. Language has, for instance, the function of integrating or dissolving social groups, negotiating rules, privileging or suppressing the discursive contributions of individuals and groups, or spreading ideologies through propaganda.

Since October 2026, the Fritz Thyssen Foundation is funding the project "Social Functions of Language: Towards an Integrated Explanatory Framework," which investigates the scientific, conceptual, and metaphysical foundations of theories about the social functions of language. The project's aim is to integrate and expand on the findings of social philosophy of language, the debate on functions in the philosophy of science, and the literature on functionalisms in the social sciences.

The project is led by Prof. Dr. Raphael van Riel and carried out with the collaboration of Kai Ploemacher at the research group for theoretical philosophy.

Funding

Fritz Thyssen Stiftung

Project Duration: 10/2026-9/2028

Principal Investigator​

• Prof. Dr. Raphael van Riel

Team Members

• Kai Ploemacher, M.A., M.Ed. (Research Associate)
   
• Maxima Fuhrmann (Student Assistant)