“Heimat”-Homeland between life world and defence psychosis: Intercultural learning and unlearning in an ethnocentric culture: long-term study on the identity formation of junior “Schützen” (shooters)

Basis of this paper is a long term study started with a series of interviews in 1997/1998 with adolescent youngsters in South Tyrol (Italy) belonging to the union of Tyrolean “shooters” about their concepts of “Heimat”-homeland. The hardly translatable term “Heimat”, which melts political and personal needs for safety, belonging and distinction, should be examined in its importance for the identity building of young people in an ethnocentric culture and its effects on intercultural learning or unlearning. In 2009/2010, after a period of 12 years, the same juveniles were interviewed another time on the same subjects.The object of the research is an psychoanalytical orientated deconstruction of national identity changing in virtue of life events, formative ways, new friendships and also in virtue of changing political and social framework-conditions.