Scientific Study of Language and Society

Introduction to key topics in sociolinguistics such as language variation, the performativity of language, language attitudes and ideologies, and the sociocognitive underpinnings of human communication. Through a multidisciplinary approach, students learn to analyze language in its social context, gaining insights into the intricate relationship between linguistic practices and social structures. By critically examining how language reflects and reinforces systems of power, privilege, and inequality—and how it shapes perspective and access—students are equipped with tools to engage thoughtfully with the complex sociolinguistic realities of the world around them.

Letter grading.