Anthropology 2510A
LANGUAGE, CULTURE, AND COMMUNICATION
SPRING 2005, Instructor: Alberto Guevara
MWF 11:00--11:50 Room PE 238
Office: T H 204, Tel #: 3292521
Office Hours: MWF 2--3 or by appointment
alberto.guevara@uleth.ca
Overview and Objectives of the Course:
This course is a general introduction to basic approaches for the study of
language, symbols and communication. The main objective of this course is to critically
reflect on the process of communication and the roles of language cross-culturally. This
course will introduce students to basic concepts, problems, and methodologies utilized by
anthropologists and other academics in the study of the relationship between language,
communication and cultural context.
Methodology and Evaluation:
The course will be based on assigned readings, lectures, films, class
conversations, exercises and examinations. These will be facilitated by group discussions
of relevant issues to that week’s readings. Students are expected to attend classes having
read all assigned course materials in advance. This point is very important because it will
facilitate us in having a dynamic and interesting course. Remember twenty percent of the
grade will be allocated to attendance and participation.
There will be three in class examinations. The exams will not be cumulative,
and will cover only the material from lectures, readings and films since the last exam. In
addition each student will write a short essay (a guideline will be provided around the
fourth week of the course) of approximately five to six pages (double space). The student
should use the concepts, terms and the anthropological perspectives learned in our class
discussions, the textbooks and three outside scholarly sources to construct the essay.
Required Text
Norman Fairclough, Language and Power: Second Edition, 2001
A number of other readings will be made available prior to classes (consult schedule)
Policies
If a student must miss an exam or class due to illness or family emergency, the
absence must be justified to the instructor with the original copy of a medical certificate,
doctor’s note, or other official documents.
All students should be aware of the definition and consequences of plagiarism as
set by U of L policy (p. 63 in the calendar). This policy will be systematically enforced.
1
The final grade will be calculated as follows:
First exam
(FEBRUARY 11)
Second exam (MARCH 14)
Third exam (APRIL 18)
Paper
(MARCH 24)
Class participation and attendance
assignments)
20%
20%
20%
20%
20% (based on in-class exercises and pop
Official evaluation scheme
A+ 95-100
B+ 80-84
C+ 65-69
D 50-54
A 90-94
A- 85-89
B 75-79
B- 70-74
C 60-64
C- 55-59
F 49 and below
SCHEDULE:
(This is a general guideline and is subject to changes at the instructor’s discretion).
January. 7: Overview of the course
Readings: None
JANUARY. 10 TO JANUARY. 19
The Form of the Message
Readings: Bonvillain Chapter 2
Martin and Nakayama, Chapter 6
Note: No classes on January 14 and 17.
JANUARY. 21 TO JANUARY. 26
Language and Cultural Meaning
Readings: Bonvillain, (pg 61 to 75)
Additional readings: TBA
Video: American Tongues
JANUARY. 28 TO JANUARY 31
Ethnography of Communication
Readings: Bonvillain Chapter 4
Additional readings: TBA
FEBRUARY. 2 TO FEBRUARY. 9
Linguistic Variation: Class and Race
Readings: Bonvillain Chapter 6
Additional readings: TBA
2
Video: “Urban Chronicle”
Review
FIRST EXAM (FEBRUARY 11)
FEBRUARY. 14 TO FEBRUARY. 28*
Cross-Cultural Studies of Language and Gender
Readings: Bonvillain Chapter 8
Additional readings: TBA
Video: TBA
* FEBRUARY. 21 TO FEBRUARY. 25, READING WEEK, NO CLASSES
FEBRUARY. 28 MARCH 4
Nation and Language: Multilingualism
Readings: Bonvillain Chapter 11
Clark Blaise’s “North,” and Eva Hoffman’s “Life in a New language”
Film: Our Language is our Land Learning Language
MARCH. 7 TO MARCH 11
Nation and Language: Bilingualism
Readings: Bonvillain Chapter 12, Michael Ignatieff “Blood and Belonging”
Film: Between the Solitudes
Review
SECOND EXAM (MARCH. 14)
MARCH. 16 TO MARCH 23
Language and Power: Discourse
Readings: Bonvillain Chapter 13, Fairclough. Chapter 2 and 3
Video: “Outfoxed: Rupert Murdock war on Journalism”
MARCH. 25 AND MARCH. 28 NO CLASS
MARCH. 30 TO APRIL. 4
Discourse analysis
Readings: Fairclough Chapter 4 and 5
APRIL. 6 TO APRIL 13
Discourse and social change
Readings: Fairclough Chapter 7 and 8
Video: Affluenza
APRIL. 15: REVIEW
THIRD EXAM (APRIL. 18)
3
4