Going back home through one's language

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This book presents an interdisciplinary exploration of diaspora and transnational communities, focusing on political mobilization and the dynamics of state deconstruction and reconstruction. The author introduces concepts like ‘fluid identity’ and ‘liquid diaspora’ to conduct a qualitative analysis of media representations, including the prejudices and stereotypes faced by migrants, specifically examining the Romanian community in Germany. Diasporans, caught between two nations, forge new notions of ‘home’ while navigating varying degrees of integration. They often escape their realities through media consumption and creation in their native language, which serves as a refuge. This highlights their complex love-hate relationship with both their homeland and host country, marked by self-recrimination as they attempt to redefine their identities amidst feelings of loss and nostalgia. Their journey reflects a struggle for acceptance as ‘Europeans’ and belonging to a ‘nation,’ yet they often sense that ‘something is always missing.’ Gabriela Goudenhooft, an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Political Science and Communication Studies at the University of Oradea, Romania, brings her extensive background in philosophy, law, and interdisciplinary research to this insightful study.