Institute of English Studies

Researchers in our young institute (created in 2016) investigate English in contexts of linguistic and cultural diversity, taking a descriptive (non-prescriptive) and analytical stance. Our research is strongly grounded in the Luxembourg context, which provides a unique standpoint for exploring the dynamics of English use in multilingual and intercultural environments.

We participate in the multiple dimensions of the field of English Studies (Linguistics, Literary Studies, Cultural Studies, Literary Historiography) as manifested in and beyond the Anglophone world. Engaging with literary and linguistic corpora (large, digitized, as well as smaller selections) as well as with phenomena of popular culture in English and other languages, our work investigates the interface of cultures, languages, and texts.

Fundamentally, our research provides a link between the interdisciplinary practices and commitment to innovation at the heart of the Department of Humanities, a strongly intercultural scholarly approach, an understanding of the linguistic and cultural diversity of the national context, and productive collaborative connections with universities and communities abroad. Our research and our teaching in literary studies and linguistics are purposefully adapted to the multilingual setting of Luxembourg.

We actively foster connections with schools, institutions, and writers to productively integrate the Institute and the study programme into the local context.