Language and Education

(4 Credits)

This course will survey ethnographic and other qualitative research and theories pertaining to the joint inquiry of language and education. Based on the argument that learning in and about one’s primary language is a human right, this course explores how efforts to join the goals of language rights and educational practice are brought together across different regions of the world to address inequalities, reinforce identities, oppose oppression, and mobilize political movements. Through the exploration of detailed case studies, we will discuss the diversity of approaches through which bilingualism and multilingualism, language shift and change, and language standardization are impacted by educational activities. We will also examine how educational theories about language learning and socialization link up communication with power structures. Finally, we will compare and contrast pedagogical approaches and learning outcomes across sociohistorical contexts to evaluate the role of human rights approaches to language preservation.