Welcome to the Imagologica website, dedicated to the critical analysis of cultural stereotypes. Imagology, a specialism originally developed in the discipline of Comparative Literature, studies how certain temperamental characteristics are stereotypically imputed to certain nationalities.
The resulting “ethnotypes” (frivolous French, passionate Hungarians, thorough-going Germans) are commonplaces which change over time and migrate between genres and countries. While they have little or no empirical basis, they do exercise a real influence in how people judge the world and their position in it. Ethnotypes are both a complex culture-historical phenomenon and an important part of nationalistic prejudice and ethnocentrism, and stand in need of critical analysis for both reason.
More information under the About Imagology tab.