Rostock

In 1948, George Orwell wrote the blueprint for all dystopias: 1984. A regime of terror has established itself in the state of Oceania, a perpetual state of war with neighboring countries prevails, food is rationed, and the population is under constant surveillance. And to nip any rebellion in the bud, language is constantly being tweaked until no words for resistance exist. The current relevance is unmistakable: In times when Vladimir Putin downplays the war against Ukraine as a "special operation", Markus Söder bans gender-appropriate language, or Donald Trump bans terms related to diversity and inclusion, language policy is always also power politics. In terms of gender relations, however, Orwell's vision has clearly aged: It establishes Winston and Julia as a resistance couple, he as an ...