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Critical Discourse Studies (ENG -428): Course outline (ENG -428)

Course description

This course is about language and power. It draws a connection between language use and unequal relations of power. The course is based on two perspectives. The first is theoretical: to help correct a widespread underestimation of the significance of language in the production, maintenance and change of social relations of power. The second perspective is more practical which focuses on how language contributes to domination of some people by others. In particular the course will deal with exercise of power in modern society which is achieved through ideology and ideological workings of language

Course contents

Unit-I

  • Definition of Key Terms Related to Language, Power and Identity.
  • Approaches to CLS (Critical Language Study)

Unit-II

  • Linguistics
  • Sociolinguistics
  • Pragmatics and its Relationship to CLS
  • Conversational Analysis
  • Discourse Analysis

 Unit-III

 
  • Concept and History of Rhetoric
  • Political Rhetoric – Propaganda
  • Persuasive Language
  • Recent Theory/Theorists
  • Michel Foucault
  • Jurgen Habermas

Unit-IV

  • Relationship of Recent Theories to CLS
  • Discourse as Social Practice
  • Language and Discourse
  • Discourse and Orders of Discourse
  • Discourse as Social Practice

Unit-V

  • Class and Power in Capitalist Society
  • Dialectic of Structures and Practices
  • Discourse and Power
  • Power in Cross-Cultural Encounters

Unit-VI

  • Social Struggle in Discourse
  • Discourse in Social Change
  • Advertising and Consumerism
  • Colonizing Tendencies in Advertising

Teaching-learning strategies

Teaching will be done through lecture method with a combination of tasks/projects and presentations.

 

Assessment and Examinations

Assessment will be done as per university/department policy.

Course objectives

The objectives of this course are to:

  •  
  • Provide students in-depth knowledge about language, power and identity.
  • Analyse the interrelationship between these important sociolinguistic concepts with relevance to contemporary times and scenario.
  • Enable students to understand the current approach to language called CLS - Critical language study.
  • Increase students’ consciousness of how exercise of power in modern society is achieved through language.
  • Understand Discourse as a social practice and the relationship between class and power in capitalist society.

Textbooks