The programme covers a rich disciplinary exchange across linguistics, cognitive science, and semiotics, from core disciplinary topics to interdisciplinary ones.

For instance, issues like language diversity, acquisition and evolution require a nuanced understanding of linguistic structures and practices, social and interactional contexts in which language is spoken and acquired, as well as cognitive processes and cognitive development. Joint action is another crucial domain within this program, where understanding of individual cognitive mechanisms, interpersonal dynamics and – often – language are all crucial aspects to integrate. Analogously, cognitive and evolutionary (e.g. of languages such creoles) modelling requires computational skills, theories of cognitive processes, and domain expertise for the behaviours investigated. Or again, cognitive neuroscience requires connecting knowledge on the electrophysiology and neurovascular coupling of the brain with understanding of the relevant human behaviours, as well as with mathematical and computer science techniques to deal with brain imaging and recording data.

In order to maintain and support such rich interdisciplinary exchanges together with the development of deep core competences, the research programme aims at developing the shared environment, with a special focus on early career researchers’ contributions, and competence development; as well as providing resources for more focused research units and individual researchers in the program.