Language, Politics, & Identity (222-0-1)
Instructors
Elisabeth M Elliott
847/491-8082
Kresge Hall, 3-305, 1880 Campus Dr.
Office Hours: Wednesdays 10am to 12pm and by appointment
Meeting Info
Fisk Hall 217: Tues, Thurs 12:30PM - 1:50PM
Overview of class
In LING 222/SLAVIC 222 Language, Politics, and Identity (co-listed classes) students will examine and analyze political and identity issues in terms of the languages and dialects of the Balkans (particularly: Albanian, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Macedonian, Romani, and Serbian). Topics to be covered include: linguistic nationalism, language laws, rights of minority languages, language discrimination, language and religion, alphabet issues, language and dialect as ethnic identity, standard language, and others. This course will introduce the student to some of the key issues that have plagued the Balkans in the past and continue to shape its future. This course fulfills either an Area IV, Historical Studies, Distribution Requirement or Area V, Ethics and Values, Distribution Requirement, students may choose with Distribution Requirement.
Learning Objectives
• Learn the countries and regions (historical and current), major peoples, religions, names and genetic classifications of the major linguistic varieties, and relevant historical developments of the Balkans.
• Gain insights into the concepts of ethnicity and nationalism and the roles these play in attitudes towards and policies about linguistic varieties.
• Understand the significant symbolic role that language plays politically and in identity. o Learn some of the more common myths about languages and what the linguistic facts are.
• Learn some of the basic concepts of sociolinguistics/linguistic anthropology (including: dialect continuum, language and identity, diglossia, alphabet reform, language loss, language codification, language planning, models towards minority languages, propaganda, and others).
Evaluation Method
Class participation
Exam, mid-term
Group work
Quizzes
Readings
Class Materials (Required)
Readings provided on Canvas
Class Attributes
Historical Studies Distro Area
Interdisciplinary Distro-rules apply
Ethics & Values Distro Area