Swiss Multilingualism under Late Capitalism
This article analyzes the logics governing the Swiss state’s valorization of Swiss linguistic diversity under conditions of late capitalism. If Helvetic governments have historically invested in national multilingualism, contemporary Switzerland continues to focus on multilingualism to maintain the privileged position occupied by its economy on global markets. However, in order to be able to capitalize on this historical capital, the Swiss state adapts the argument of multilingualism to the markets it addresses, which leads to a hierarchization of the forms of « diversity » in Switzerland. In order to explain the role of diversity in the context of the current economic policies and activities of the Swiss state, to understand which form of diversity is considered as a source of added value, and finally to understand the interests influencing the value attributed to diversity, I analyze the promotional practices conducted by the Swiss state in Germany, aiming to attract German entrepreneurs and capitals to Switzerland. I particularly focus on the role of multilingualism as a key feature of the international marketing strategy of Switzerland and highlight the strategic adaptation of that argument to the targeted publics.