At a recent book launch in Montréal, the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation highlighted the contributions of its alumni, including Jocelyn Létourneau, 2006 Fellow, recognized for his work on historical memory and collective identities.

A Key Work for Understanding National Imaginaries

Published by the Presses de l’Université de Montréal, Les mots de la nation offers a comparative analysis of the lexicons of six national entities, demonstrating how language shapes collective imaginaries and contributes to the reproduction of national communities. Drawing on concepts such as “imagined communities” and “banal nationalism,” the book sheds light on the role of everyday words in both maintaining and reshaping national identities.