Felix Rietschel

About Felix Rietschel

Felix Rietschel (Feliks Ričel in Sorbian) is a doctoral student in Human Geography.

In his research, Felix is concerned with examining the interplay between language, identity, and representation within football fandom in various European minority regions. His aim is to understand how narratives, imaginations and emotional attachments are associated with football fandom.

Using a semiotic approach to Linguistic Landscape Analysis, his work focuses on how collective symbols, discourses, and bodily performances are used, reproduced, and disseminated to shape and redefine collective identities. Language use is examined across various geographical categories to highlight how linguistic practices are embedded in specific locales while also being connected to broader networks and flows. 

Within the framework of a praxeological approach, the dissertation will examine the linguistic landscapes of football fandom in the Eastern German region of Lusatia, the Basque Country in Northeastern Spain and Brittany in Northwest France.