Language, Gender and Sexuality
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| ENGL4018 | English | 4 | 20 | Spring UK |
- Code
- ENGL4018
- School
- English
- Level
- 4
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Spring UK
Summary
The course will explore the relationship between language and gender in spoken interaction and written texts, drawing on key approaches in the areas of discourse analysis and interactional sociolinguistics. Students will focus on the ways in which: gender and sexuality affect the language we produce when interacting with one another in a variety of contexts; the critical analysis of how individuals and groups of people are represented in the media, in ways related to their gender and/or sexual identities; issues of sexist and discriminatory language towards LGBT people. Various theoretical paradigms that have been presented to explain the relationships between language, gender and sexuality will be critically examined, along with ideologies associated with gender and sexuality that operate in society and influence discourse. Students will be encouraged to combine theoretical thinking with hands-on analysis of data from authentic examples of spoken interaction and from a variety of publications including the popular media. The practical consequences of the discipline in term of how findings can have a political impact on wider society will also be discussed.
Target Students
Only available to on-site postgraduate students in the School of English.
Classes
- One 2-hour seminar each week for 11 weeks
Assessment
- 100% Coursework 1: 4,000 word critical exploration and study
Assessed by end of spring semester
Educational Aims
The course will explore the various approaches to language, gender and sexuality, will raise ideological and theoretical issues in academic practice, and will link gender/queer study with the theory and methodology of other linguistic and sociological disciplines such as sociolinguistics, critical theory, discourse analysis and pragmatics.Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and understanding of
- linguistic treatments of gender and gendered discourse,
- approaches within the discipline;
- key issues in applying theory to data.
Intellectual skills:
- descriptive linguistic analysis of naturally occurring data,
- critical skills in evaluating work within the discipline,
- independent thinking.
Professional/practical skills:
- effective communication in speech and writing,
- the assimilation of large quantities of linguistic data,
- independent research skills.
Transferable/key skills:
Students will develop independent research skills,
- critical thinking,
- the ability to assimilate different theoretical approaches to a phenomenon,
- skills of adapting a methodology to a new context,
- effective analytical skills.