This course introduces students to the field of linguistic anthropology. It examines the role of language in shaping and mediating human social relations. Students will learn theories about the origins of language, the structure of linguistic systems (spoken, body language, etc.) and everday language use as well as specialized interactions in different social and cultural contexts. Students learn the significance of discourse analysis in understanding the politics of world-making and how this translates to the acquisition and pervasiveness of particular forms of local knowledge and social relations, especially experiences of social inequality. This course is useful for students who are interested in learning about the human condition mediated through use of language.
