Fachbereich 7

Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft


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Professional Writing and Discussions: The Language of Prejudice


DozentIn: Andrew Jones, B.A., M.Phil.

Veranstaltungstyp: Seminar

Ort: nicht angegeben

Zeiten: Di. 12:00 - 14:00 (wöchentlich)

Beschreibung: *IMPORTANT: It is likely that this course will be taking place during its usual times in an online classroom (via BigBlueButton). Please only sign up for this class if you are able and willing, and in possession of the necessary equipment (stable internet connection, microphone, webcam) in order to accomplish this.

Professional Writing and Discussions courses are advanced language courses designed for B.A. students who are in or have completed their 5th semester of studies and for M.A. students. Under the guidance of their course instructors, the course participants will undertake a more active and independent development of their language skills by applying them to a specific topic area. They will continue to train their productive and receptive language skills, further expand their lexico-grammatical knowledge in connection with the specialist language used in the course, and acquire supplementary cultural knowledge on English-speaking countries. Ultimately, the central aim of these courses, whatever topic area and skills focus you choose, is to facilitate students' transition into self-sufficient and proficient users of the English language. If you elect to take this course, you will be expected to attend class regularly and contribute actively and intelligently. Furthermore, you will need to complete a portfolio of written and oral tasks during the course of the semester.

This particular course will confront ways in which language can be used to discriminate against others, to disparage, marginalise and denigrate members of minority groups and to convey hatred and fear against other (groups of) people. We will examine different forms of prejudice such as racism, xenophobia, sexism , misogyny, homo-, bi- and interphobia, ableism, ageism, classism and body shaming, as well as the language which conveys them through various media. We will discuss reasons for, forms of and ways of responding to the language of harm in its various forms, particularly hate speech and slurs. Partisan labelling and fighting talk in debates such as the UK Brexit referendum, the US presidential election and different stances on e.g. covid-19 measures, vaccinations, refugee aid, animal rights and climate change activism will form the basis of some of our class discussions. Ultimately, we will aim to discuss various strategies for reducing the impact of the language of harm, e.g. reclaiming slurs, anti-hate-speech legislation, social media regulation, censorship, protest movements and positive campaigns and assess their respective efficacies.

TRIGGER WARNING: This course will by necessity occasion us to listen to and read very harmful language, potentially within violent contexts. If this is likely to cause you significant distress, please consider whether this is the class you really want to take. If you need advice or support in this regard, you are welcome to contact me.

Up to eight spots in the course can be allocated in advance to students who attend one of my online office hours on July 15th, 22nd or 29th (note: email is not an acceptable alternative to this! Students wishing to do this should sign up for an office hour appointment using the form at the bottom of my profile on Stud.IP.) and confirm in our consultation that they (1) are prepared to commit to taking the course and (2) have identified a topic that they would like to investigate for their class session. All other registrations are provisional and will be allocated based on factors such as level of need and semester of study.


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