Admission requirements
This course is only available for second year students in the BA International Studies.
The number of participants is limited to 25.
Description
This course examines languages and cultures in contact and considers how people use language(s) to identify with or differentiate themselves from others, particularly in multicultural settings. Students will learn about the sociolinguistic situation in their area of specialization while gaining hands-on experience using sociolinguistic and anthropological research methods. Some of the topics we will cover include the sociohistorical contexts and linguistic outcomes of language contact, the globalization of English and its impact on cultural and linguistic diversity in the world, pidgin and creole languages, endangered languages, and immigrant languages in Europe and North America. The skills and theories that students learn in this class will be used to explore instances of language contact in The Hague, Netherlands and surrounding cities.
Additionally, the students will work through W.C. Booth, G.G. Colomb, J.W. Williams, The Craft of Research, third edition, Chicago/London: University of Chicago Press, 2008.
Course objectives
The elective courses for International Studies are designed to teach students how to deal with state-of-the-art literature and research questions. They are chosen to 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. They are characterised by an international or comparative approach.
At the end of this course, students will be able to 1) identify the linguistic outcomes of language contact in real-world settings, 2) describe the social and linguistic factors that give rise to instances of language contact, 3) predict the outcome of language maintenance and language shift situations, 4) design an appropriate research plan using sociolinguistic and anthropological research methods to collect data on language contact in multilingual settings, and 5) analyze sociolinguistic data.
Academic skills that are trained include:
Oral presentation skills:
1. to explain clear and substantiated research results;
2. to provide an answer to questions concerning (a subject) in the field covered by the course
a. in the form of a clear and well-structured oral presentation;
b. in agreement with the appropriate disciplinary criteria;
c. using up-to-date presentation techniques;
d. aimed at a specific audience;
3. to actively participate in a discussion following the presentation.
Collaboration skills:
1. to be socio-communicative in collaborative situations;
2. to provide and receive constructive criticism, and incorporate justified criticism by revising one’s own position;
3. adhere to agreed schedules and priorities.
Basic research skills, including heuristic skills:
1. to collect and select academic literature using traditional and digital methods and techniques;
2. to analyze and assess this literature with regard to quality and reliability;
3. to formulate on this basis a sound research question;
4. 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;
5. to formulate a substantiated conclusion.
Written presentation skills:
1. to explain clear and substantiated research results;
2. to provide an answer to questions concerning (a subject) in the field covered by the course
a. in the form of a clear and well-structured written presentation;
b. in agreement with the appropriate disciplinary criteria;
c. using relevant illustration or multimedia techniques;
d. aimed at a specific audience.
Timetable
The timetable is available on the BA International Studies website.
Mode of instruction (in principe staat dit gewoon vast, tenzij anders aangegeven)
Lecture, seminar style discussion and supervised research.
Course Load
Total course load for the course 10 EC x 28 hours = 280.
Lectures: 2 hours per week x 12 weeks = 24 hours
Reading: 40-45 pages per week (approximately 7 pages per hour) = 76 hours
Assignments (including time for reading and research): = 80 Hours
Research Paper (4,000-6,000 words including time for reading and research) = 100 hours
Assessment method
Assessment and grading method (in percentages):.
Article explanation and discussion 15%
Sociolinguistic profile of country or ethnographic community survey 15%
Research Paper 50%
Field work and class assignments 20%
The final grade for the course is established by determining the weighted average.
Note: The maximum possible grade to be obtained for re-submission of the final essay is a 6.0
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used. For tutorial groups: please enroll in blackboard after your enrolment in uSis
Students are requested to register on Blackboard for this course.
Reading list
W.C. Booth, G.G. Colomb, J.W. Williams, The Craft of Research, 3rd edition, Chicago/London: University of Chicago Press, 2008.
All class readings are accessible via the Leiden University Library website. Other material will be available on Blackboard.
Registration
Enrolment through uSis is mandatory.
General information about uSis is available in English and Dutch
Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs
Not applicable.
Contact
Dr. S. Moody, email s.moody@hum.leidenuniv.nl
Remarks
Not applicable.