Paper short abstract:

Drawing on the ways Esperanto speakers articulate themselves through transnational networks, I examine how they make use of this language to host fellow speakers during trips abroad, to discuss political issues and to claim to be members of an antinational community that extends beyond borders.

Paper long abstract:

Esperanto is a planned language that claims not only to make international communication possible, but mainly to promote a rapprochement of peoples all over the world through language comprehension - which would be the first step towards a possibility of understanding and peace. Based on this cosmopolitan intent, Esperantists aims to build an affective kind of communication, more affective and oriented to promote diplomacy and to gather together supporters of this project. However, since it is not a national or regional language, its speakers constitute a speech community that is scattered around the world. Thus, how do they relate to each other and how is this language used in practice?

In face of these issues, I aim to examine the way Esperanto speakers articulate themselves face-to-face through meetings promoted by Esperanto-related associations and mainly through Pasporta-Servo, a hospitality service for those who travel abroad, speak Esperanto and want to be hosted by a fellow speaker. It promotes the idea that Esperantists can overcome national borders, go beyond state configurations and consider themselves as "citizens of the world". However, apart from the hospitality, diplomacy and world citizenship defended by it, there are also many conflicts among different Esperanto associations, mainly between those that use this language to debate political issues and those that claim Esperanto to be neutral. Thus, my intention is to discuss the encounters of Esperantists and the outcomes of Esperanto as a diplomatic language, including both its promotion of peace and hospitality and the conflicts generated around it.