“Convivance” is a recent term in French, and a new one in English (“convivence”). Its roots come from the Spanish term “convivencia”, which emerged in the 12th century. In 2004, the Académie française included it in its Dictionary to designate a situation in which different communities and human groups live together, coexist, maintaining neighbourliness and…
Convivence is a relatively new term in English. It derives from the Spanish word convivencia, which emerged in the 12th century. In 2004, the Académie française included the related term “convivance” in its dictionary. The concept refers to a situation in which different communities and social groups live together while maintaining relationships of neighbourliness, harmony…
Le tourisme et la rencontre de l’autre. Voyage au pays des idées reçues(Tourism and the Encounter with the Other: Journey into the Land of Received Ideas) In 2005, shortly after the Académie française published its definition of Convivance, a group of French geographers —Giorgia Ceriani, Philippe Duhamel, Rémy Knafou and Mathis Stock— published in the…
The 9/11 Al-Qaeda attacks against the United States shocked the world, not only because of their violence, but also because they shattered the illusion that “holy wars” belonged to the past. Far from disappearing, “holy wars” remain a reality in today’s world and threaten global peace as never before. In this volume, Christoffer Grundmann argues…
This study examines the word convivencia in Spanish (and Catalan), convivance in French (convivencia in Occitan) and convivence in English, as well as the concept conveyed by this term. The approach varies from one language to another, each possessing its own characteristics and developments, which shape the research and raise specific questions. This modest study,…
The current era reveals a troubling paradox: our postmodern societies, supposedly hyperconnected, have never seen such a weakening of the social bond. The fault lines are so deep that we are close to collapse. To address this, the Académie française proposed as early as 2004 a new word, convivence — proof that words have the…
The history of the ITU is the story of human connection. From the telegraph to the digital era, it has fostered international cooperation, technical standardisation and global access to telecommunications. Today, it remains essential for connectivity, innovation and convivence in an increasingly interdependent world.
Zygmunt Bauman analysed the fragility of our “liquid modernity”, where uncertainty fuels anxiety and the temptation to exclude. In response, he advocated an ethic of “being together” grounded in accepting difference and taking responsibility for the Other, in resonance with the idea of Convivence.
“Culture wars” have evolved into symbolic confrontations that polarise and fragment society. In contrast, convivence proposes the active integration of diversity as a shared asset. It does not eliminate disagreement, but prevents it from becoming destructive, offering a demanding and necessary path for pluralistic democracies.
An urgent reflection on the future of the European Union, based on the analysis of Enrico Letta and other leading figures. The text warns of a critical situation shaped by strategic dependencies and a lack of integration, and calls for far-reaching reforms in innovation, defence and governance. Europe faces a decisive choice: act now or accept its decline.
