Fall 2003

MES 381 • LANGUAGE AND POLITICS IN LANGUAGE PLANNING

Course Description

This course will focus on important, though sometimes overlooked, aspect of language and society - language and politics and language planning - which may not be sufficiently accounted for otherwise. It has to be recognized that nations and other political entities do have a significant impact on language planning and language behavior. Whereas, it is especially prominent in societally patterned language behavior and language planning of emerging and developing nations, it may be present, though less overtly, in developed and established nations and societies, as well (including the U.S.). The study of the reflection of various aspects of language and politics in literature (both prose and poetry) is likely to add another interesting dimension to this seminar. The same applies to aspects of language of politics… Needless to say, in addition to the study of general trends practices, special attention will be given to representative case studies across nations. Among the topics to be discussed in this seminar are the following: Introductory: Language & society, nationalism, culture and multiculturalism Language and Politics Language Politics and Education Belles-Lettres and Language Politics: The Reflection of Language and Society and of Language-Politics in Literature Cross Cultural Communication On Language of Politics: General case studies

Grading Policy

Grade will be mainly based on : class participation, oral report on a book of the student’s choice, discussion of articles, and a term paper.

Texts

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