Language, Discourse and Society
| Module title | Language, Discourse and Society |
|---|---|
| Module code | SMLM091 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Susana Pinto Cavadas Afonso (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 15 |
|---|
Module description
This module explores the relationship between language and society. You will explore how language is used to shape social relations through discourse (the use of language between individuals), examining the interplay between language and power that intersects gender, class, age, ethnicity and race. You will explore the role of language, discourse and power in institutional and media contexts. Through a series of real case studies, you will critically examine how particular affairs are verbally construed and how they may be culturally contested.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The aims of the module are:
- to explore critically the role of language in constructing power relations, including issues of social justice, inequality, and representation
- to develop critical analytical skills for analysing and interpreting language use in institutional contexts
- to explore the role of discourse in shaping public opinion, and decision-making processes
- to provide students with opportunities to apply theoretical frameworks to real-world contexts, e.g.. political discourse, media and social media, education, business organisations.
- to develop students’ skills and knowledge for further study or professional practice
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Develop a critical awareness of the role of language in the construction and negotiation of power relations in different social contexts
- 2. Explore the role of discourse in shaping public opinion
- 3. Analyse discourse in social contexts
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. Engage with sociolinguistics, discourse analysis approaches and framing
- 5. Apply theories and concepts in the field of language and society to a range of social contexts
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. Collect and analyse data
- 7. Develop critical thinking skills
- 8. Work effectively in a team and to produce collaborative outputs
Syllabus plan
Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics:
- Language, discourse and power
- Discourse analysis and critical discourse analysis
- Discourse and ideology
- Language , discourse gender, class, age, ethnicity and race
- Language and intersectionality
- Language, discourse and identity
- Language in media representation
- Framing
- Language use in institutional contexts
- Interactional sociolinguistics
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | 278 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 16 | A combination of lectures and seminars |
| Guided independent study | 134 | Reading and preparation for lectures, seminars, presentations and assessed coursework |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group presentation | 10 minutes | 1-8 | Written and oral feedback |
| Project outline | 600 words | 1-8 | Written feedback with opportunity for tutorial follow-up. |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research report | 65 | 2250 words | 1-7 | Written feedback with opportunity for tutorial follow-up. |
| Videocast or podcast | 35 | 4-5 minutes | 1-7 | Written feedback with opportunity for tutorial follow-up. |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research report | Research report | 1-7 | Referral/Deferral period |
| Videocast or podcast | Videocast or podcast | 1-7 | Referral/Deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 50%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Benwell, B., & Stokoe, E. (2006). Discourse and Identity. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Blommaert, J. (2005). Discourse: A Critical Introduction. Cambridge: CUP
De Fina, A., Schiffrin, D., & Bamberg, M. (Eds.). (2006). Discourse and Identity. Cambridge: CUP.
Ehrlich, S., Meyerhoff, M, & Holmes, J. (Eds) (2014). The Handbook of Language, Gender, and Sexuality. Wiley.
Fairclough, N. (2015). Language and Power. Routledge.
García, O., Flores, N., & Spotti, M. (Eds). The Oxford Handbook of Language and Society. Oxford Handbooks
Gee, J. P. (2014). An Introduction to Discourse Analysis: Theory and Method. Routledge.
Hart, C. (Ed.) (2011). Critical Discourse Studies in Context and Cognition. Amsterdam: John Benjamins
Jaworski, A., & Coupland, N. (Eds.). (2014). The Discourse Reader. Routledge.
Tannen, D., Hamilton, H. E., & Schiffrin, D. (Eds.) (2015). The Handbook of Discourse Analysis. Wiley.
Van Dijk, T. A. (Ed.) (2011). Discourse studies: A multidisciplinary introduction. SAGE Publications
Van Dijk, T. A. (2013). Discourse and Knowledge: A Sociocognitive Approach. Cambridge: CUP.
Van Dijk, T. A. (2009). Society and Discourse: How Social Contexts Influence Text and Talk. Cambridge: CUP.
Vine, B. (Ed.) (2018). The Routledge Handbook of Language in the Workplace. Routledge.
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 11/04/2023 |
| Last revision date | 05/09/2023 |
