Content:

Europe is defined by majority members, their languages and dominant cultures and identities. But the Union and its member states are just as much shaped by various small and big, overt and covert minorities. The course will focus on the many linguistic minorities and cover topics such as multilingualism, language policies, linguistic human rights and discrimination. (No special emphasis will be put on the issue of migration). The approach in this course is shaped by an understanding that all the above mentioned topics are of academic relevance but are also personally meaningful in various ways for each one of us.

Therefore, all lessons will tap into our personal resources as well as academic knowledge and are structured so that we can build both. Students will get to know models and examples on the individual as well as institutional level and get acquainted with national as well as European situations and processes. They will acquire tools for linguistic analysis of political language and will build practical competence that is applicable in other micro or macro contexts.

Requirements: Attendance and performance in class (25%), homework-type assignments (25%), Quiz 1 (25%), Quiz 2 (25%).