73213 - English For Public Administration (Discourse And Power)

Learning outcomes

Course contents

Course topic: Discourse and power

The aim of the course is to make students aware of the relationship between discourse and the institutions by analysing the language of institutional and media discourse, and how it creates genres and styles, including political discourse.

More specifically, the aim is to focus on the theme of discourse / power, and the ways in which discourse interacts with the social and political reflexes of power.  We will discuss the ways in which powerful groups influence how discourse is used and how these groups control access to discourse. An important topic is the way in which different linguistic strategies are used to resist and contest the pressure of discursive power.

At the same time, the course activities take place throughout in English, and are thus aimed at developing individual knowledge of the language itself.

CONTENT

The course provides an introduction to the relationship between discourse and the institutions, analysing the language of institutional and media discourse, both spoken and written, and examining how it creates genres and media styles, as well as political discourse.

The course will cover topics such as the linguistic representation of racism, social actors, political discourse and discourse in the new capitalism, Social Skills Training, with particular focus on the skills of negotiating, assertiveness and persuasion, using examples taken from authentic discourse.

The aim of the course is to enable the student to acquire and develop a critical ability to recognise the ways in which power is expressed in institutional, political and media discourse. 

Readings/Bibliography

The slides shown in the lessons for the first and second modules will be available online via ‘AlmaDL-Campus', week by week, for students who have signed up on a distribution list for attenders.

The handout booklet will be available from the Copisteria Broccaindosso (Via Broccaindosso 1) at the start of the course.

The research papers on related topics can be consulted together with the lecturer in the Languages office of the School of Political Sciences.

Teaching methods

During the lessons, the lecturer's presentations will alternate with individual readings/ listenings, class discussion of the texts  presented and language activities in pairs and small groups, exclusively in English. Individual study will be required regularly, as well as other group activities including brainstorming, exchange and discussion of ideas and oral presentation in class of pre-prepared topics.

Students are required to participate actively in discussions and other classroom activities since this is fundamental for the learning process and for exam preparation.

 

Recommended language level

Since all the activities in both modules take place in English, a high level level of language competence in all abilities is required.

 

Assessment methods

Assessment

Assessment methods differ for attenders and non-attenders.

For attenders (8 credits)

·         a written test based on the contents of the lectures, to be taken on one specific day at the end of the course. The test contains:

• open questions requiring short answers,
• an essay of 200 words on a topic dealt with during the course.

·         an oral presentation lasting about 15 minutes of a research paper selected from a specially compiled collection of articles related to the course (these may be viewed together with the lecturer in the Language office of the School of Political Sciences).

 The written test and the oral presentation are equally weighted as regards the overall mark for this module. The final mark for attenders however may also take into account active classroom participation.

For attenders (5 credits)

1.      a written test based on the contents of the lectures, to be taken on one specific day at the end of the course. The test contains:

·         open questions requiring short answers,

·         an essay of 200 words on a topic dealt with during the course.

2.      Comprehension and analysis of audio material relating to the course contents.

The final mark for attenders may also take into account active classroom participation.

 

Non-attenders (5 and  8 credits):

·         a written test with a choice of open questions based on the contents of the textbook by Simpson P. and Mayr A. (2010) Language and Power. A Resource book for students, London, Routledge, and plus an essay of 200 words on a relevant topic.

·         an oral exam on the contents of the textbook Language and Power.

Teaching tools

Authentic texts in English will be used (available in a handout booklet at the Copisteria Broccaindosso), as well as Powerpoint and Internet.

Office hours

See the website of Jane Helen Johnson