Admission requirements
This course is available for the BA Linguistics students in the track Language in Use [Taal in gebruik] and as a track-bound elective for Linguistics students in other tracks.
If the number of remaining places allows, it is also open as an elective to students from different BA programmes interested in intersectional and interdisciplinary studies of gender, sexuality, and language.
Description
How do people construct sexual and gender identities through language? Why some of these identities are seen as dissident while others are perceived as “the norm”? Why do some cultures perform notions of masculinities and femininities differently? Why is there a lack of scholars who identify as transgender, and what does it tell us about the way we understand science? These are some of the questions we will discuss in this course that explores the field of Queer Linguistics.
Although Queer Linguistics is a recent study area that no longer holds a minority status, the discipline has been asymmetrically introduced and explored in different parts of the world. Since the 1970s, scholars have researched how queer/LGBTQIA+ communities use language worldwide. However, the literature on the intersectionality of language, gender, and sexuality has been published predominantly in English and about English-speaking communities from the Global North. More recently, researchers have also focused on how people discursively construct sexual-related aspects through languages, such as identities, desires, relationships, and sexual practices. In addition, these studies have focused primarily on how specific sexual identity categories use language (i.e., gays and lesbians) and excluded participants from other dissident sexualities (asexual, bisexual) and non-hegemonic gender identities (transgender individuals). Besides examining some of the theoretical and methodological matters and identifying gaps within the study area, students will look at context-specific issues through case studies of their choice, building up their knowledge of Queer Linguistics and Queer Studies.
The course will be taught as a combination of lecture and seminar and is divided into two parts: 1) a more theoretical approach to understanding what Queer Linguistics is and its research trends, and 2) hands-on activities in which students will work with qualitative analysis methods to design their project and write the final paper. In the first part, students will discuss the relevant literature to familiarize themselves with the field. In the second part, they will digitally collect a small data sample and analyze it in class. At the end of the course, students will use such data to write a final paper.
Course objectives
The course is designed to teach students how to deal with state-of-the-art literature and research questions. It will help enhance the students’ learning experience by building on the interdisciplinary perspectives they have developed so far, and to introduce them to the art of academic research and writing. Moreover, the course is characterized by an international or comparative approach.
Academic skills that are trained include:
- To explain clear and substantiated research results.
- To provide an answer to questions concerning (a subject) in the field covered by the course: * in agreement with the appropriate disciplinary criteria; * using relevant illustration or multimedia techniques; * aimed at a specific audience.
- To actively participate in a discussion
Collaboration skills:
- To work in groups;
- To provide and receive constructive criticism, and incorporate justified criticism by revising one’s own position;
- To adhere to agreed schedules and priorities.
Basic research skills, including heuristic skills:
- To collect and select academic literature and data using traditional and digital methods and techniques.
- To analyse and assess the literature with regard to quality and reliability.
- To formulate on this basis a sound research question.
- To design under supervision a research plan of limited scope, and implement it using the methods and techniques that are appropriate within the discipline involved.
To formulate a substantiated conclusion.
Content
Students will explore the intersection of language and queer/LGBTQIA+ identities. The course will prepare them to engage with and start their own research projects within Queer and Trans Linguistics frameworks. Topics may include: * the evolution of LGBTQIA+ terminologies; * language use in LGBTQIA+ communities; * how gender and sexuality are represented and constructed through language; * the impact of language on queer identities and experiences; amongst others.
Graduates of the specialisation Language in Use:
- Knowledge and understanding * have knowledge and understanding of the social, functional and strategic principles underlying language use; * have knowledge and understanding of the interactions between language and society.
- Applying knowledge and understanding * can analyse the social, functional and strategic principles of language use, and the interactions between language and society, in written and/or spoken discourse * can use the acquired knowledge and understanding of the social, functional and strategic principles underlying language use, and the interactions between language and society, to design and conduct a research study by applying appropriate methods
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
Lecture
Seminar
Assessment method
Assessment
Research Proposal
Final Research Essay
Weighing
Research Proposal 30% and Final Research Essay 70%.
The final mark for the course is established by determining the weighted average. To pass the course, the weighted average of the partial grades must be 5.5 or higher.
Resit
Students who score an overall insufficient grade for the course, are allowed to resubmit a reworked version of the Final Essay. The deadline for resubmission is 10 working days after receiving the grade for the Final Research Essay and subsequent feedback.
In case of resubmission of the Final Research Essay the final grade for the Essay will be lowered as a consequence of the longer process of completion.
Students who fail to hand in their final essay on or before the original deadline, but still within 5 working days of that deadline, will receive a grade and feedback on their essay. This will be considered a first submission of the final essay, however, the grade will be lowered as a consequence of the longer process of completion.
Students who fail to hand in their final essay on or before the original deadline, and also fail to hand in their essay within 5 working days of that deadline, get 10 working days, counting from the original deadline, to hand in the first version of their final essay. However, this first version counts as a resubmitted essay with consequential lowering of the grade, and there will be no option of handing in a reworked version based on feedback from the lecturer.
Inspection and feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organized.
### Reading list
To be announced.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Registration Exchange
For the registration of exchange students contact Humanities International Office.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Reuvensplaats
Remarks
More specific information about the course structure, literature, and grading system will be provided during the course.