Os alemães diante do espelho: algumas percepções da identidade alemã

Abstract

This dissertation aims at verifying how stereotypical representations of Germans living in Brazil about their own culture manifest discursively. We have analyzed such perceptions in terms of value (positive, negative or neutral) and if they are understood by the research participants as being associated with the German culture. The data collected through an onlinequestionnaire is both quantitative and qualitative. We have also studied the definitions of the terms stereotype, cliché, stencil (poncif), common sense (idées recues or doxa), common place (topos), prototype, social representations, representational impression (ethos), reputation(previous ethos), imaginary, identity and culture, verifying the existence of relations to the term stereotype. In addition to that, we have developed two models the cultural data bundle and a model for the cultural knowledge , to explain our understanding of the functioning of culture and its way of spreading. Based on that we have tried to understand how theintercultural experience would affect the knowledge of the individual and how it would be projected in the discourse. We have also aimed at elaborating possible origins of some stereotypes associated with the German culture. To achieve our goals we have used multipleareas of knowledge, mainly the ones encompassed by Linguistics, Anthropology, History, Neurosciences, Sociology and Social Psychology.