ANTH 315 - Language Race and Ethnicity

Credits: 4

The objective of this course is to critically examine the role of language use as it plays out in the construction of ethnic and racial identities in our everyday lives. What is race? What is ethnicity? How is racial identity allocated and constructed in our society? How can race be exclusionary or inclusionary in our speech events? How does racialized discourse manifest itself not just overtly but covertly? These and many other questions will be addressed throughout the semester. After defining ?race? and ?ethnicity,? and examining theoretical issues on race and ethnicities, we will critically analyze the use of popular slogans such as ?colorblindness,? ?multiculturalism,? ?post?racial,? and so forth, as they are used in everyday speech in the US and in Europe, in the popular media, and on the Internet. We will then explore the linguistic construction of ethnic and racial identities through a close analysis of linguistic practices in our society. By the end of the semester, we will then be able to investigate the way we talk about race and racism in an attempt to better understand the (re)production of racialized and racist discourses. In this course, besides sharpening their analytical thinking on these key issues, students will acquire a critical awareness of the way racism may operate through discourse. or similar introducotry course.Offered eveery two years.