Course Description
Summary
This course provides an overview of the relationship between linguistics and anthropology and the methodologies for studying the key areas of inquiry for both disciplines. We will cover topics relating to the processes by which language can both reflect and create identity, cultural practices, power, and cognition. We’ll focus in particular on the biocultural—the relationship between the environment and culture—and the role that language plays in responsible stewardship of the land. We’ll also examine how language codifies this information in order to allow its passage from one generation to the next. As we explore these concepts, we will consider the ways in which mobility, climate change, globalization and technological advancements are changing the way we understand and share cultural knowledge. Through class discussions, students will learn how to apply these concepts to their own everyday experiences with language.
