81714 - Geography of Languages (1) (LM)

Course contents

THE COURSE WILL BE TAUGHT IN ENGLISH, AND THE EXAM WILL BE IN ENGLISH.

The course aims at examining the relationship between space/place and language from different perspectives. At the beginning of the course, the students will familiarize with the field of cultural geography and its main themes, concepts, and keywords. After having explored the differences between linguistic geography and geographies of languages, we will analyse broader case studies so see how concepts are applied and to introduce new ideas and concepts that connect culture, cultural geography and language geography; language as cultural phenomenon; toponyms and culture; indigenous knowledge practices in relation to language and space; communication and media and their impact on spaces.

Moreover, we observe how the relationship between geography and language expresses itself in different configurations of bodies and spaces: digital and media spaces, literary spaces, migratory fluxes, terrorism and counterterrorism discourses and place-bound semiotics, cultural and intercultural spaces.

The course has two different programmes: a 45 hours one, worth 9 CFU, and a 30 hours one, worth 6 CFU.

Readings/Bibliography

WHEN POSSIBLE, IN THE PAGE OF THE COURSE ON https://virtuale.unibo.it BOTH ATTENDING AND NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS CAN FIND A FOLDER WITH THE TEXTS TO PREPARE.

 

The exam for attending students will revolve mostly around the topics taught during the lectures and available in the ppts, plus a set of other textual material that deepens the knowledge of the lectures' themes. The material is listed below, and changes depending on the number of cfu the student needs to prepare. Non-attending students do NOT have to prepare th lectures' slides, but just the materials listed in their group (6 or 9 cfu for non attending).

MATERIALS for 6CFU ATTENDING STUDENTS (In addition to lecture notes):

Auer, P., & Schmidt, J. E. (Eds.). (2010). Language and space: An international handbook of linguistic variation. Walter de Gruyter. Read Section I- Introduction: Language and space, Chapters: 1,2,3,4 (pages 1 to 69).

Rose-Redwood, R., Alderman, D., & Azaryahu, M. (2010). Geographies of toponymic inscription: new directions in critical place-name studies. Progress in Human Geography, 34(4), 453-470.

Doering, A., & Kishi, K. (2022). “What your head!”: Signs of hospitality in the tourism linguistic landscapes of rural Japan. Tourism Culture & Communication.

 

MATERIALS for 9CFU ATTENDING STUDENTS (In addition to lecture notes):

Auer, P., & Schmidt, J. E. (Eds.). (2010). Language and space: An international handbook of linguistic variation. Walter de Gruyter. Read Section I- Introduction: Language and space, Chapters: 1,2,3,4 (pages 1 to 69).

Basso, K. H. (1996). Wisdom sits in places: Landscape and language among the Western Apache. UNM Press.

Brasher, J. P., Alderman, D. H., & Inwood, J. F. (2017). Applying critical race and memory studies to university place naming controversies: Toward a responsible landscape policy. Papers in Applied Geography, 3(3-4), 292-307.

Rose-Redwood, R., Alderman, D., & Azaryahu, M. (2010). Geographies of toponymic inscription: new directions in critical place-name studies. Progress in Human Geography, 34(4), 453-470.

MATERIALS for 6CFU NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS:

Auer, P., & Schmidt, J. E. (Eds.). (2010). Language and space: An international handbook of linguistic variation. Walter de Gruyter. Da preparare i capitoli della sezione I: 1,2,3,4 (pages 1 to 69), and chapter 40 (pp.724-740). Language as a process: A study on transnational spaces.

Basso, K. H. (1996). Wisdom sits in places: Landscape and language among the Western Apache. UNM Press.

Doering, A., & Kishi, K. (2022). “What your head!”: Signs of hospitality in the tourism linguistic landscapes of rural Japan. Tourism Culture & Communication.

Desforges, L., & Jones, R. (2001). Geographies of languages/Languages of geography. Social & Cultural Geography. (read just the first two pages of this article (pp.261-2), as it is an introduction to a special issue. It is not needed to read the summary of the chapters in the special issue)

Segrott, J. (2001). Language, geography and identity: The case of the Welsh in London. Social & Cultural Geography, 2(3), 281-296.

Desforges, L., & Jones, R. (2001). Bilingualism and geographical knowledge: a case study of students at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. Social & Cultural Geography, 2(3), 333-346.

Garcia-Ramon, M. D. (2003). Globalization and international geography: the questions of languages and scholarly traditions. Progress in human geography, 27(1), 1-5.

MATERIALS for 9CFU NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS:

Auer, P., & Schmidt, J. E. (Eds.). (2010). Language and space: An international handbook of linguistic variation. Walter de Gruyter. Da preparare i capitoli della sezione I: 1,2,3,4 (pages 1 to 69), and chapter 40 (pp.724-740). Language as a process: A study on transnational spaces.

Basso, K. H. (1996). Wisdom sits in places: Landscape and language among the Western Apache. UNM Press.

Doering, A., & Kishi, K. (2022). “What your head!”: Signs of hospitality in the tourism linguistic landscapes of rural Japan. Tourism Culture & Communication.

Desforges, L., & Jones, R. (2001). Geographies of languages/Languages of geography. Social & Cultural Geography. (read just the first two pages of this article (pp.261-2), as it is an introduction to a special issue. It is not needed to read the summary of the chapters in the special issue)

Iannàccaro, G., & Dell'Aquila, V. (2001). Mapping languages from inside: notes on perceptual dialectology. Social & Cultural Geography

Segrott, J. (2001). Language, geography and identity: The case of the Welsh in London. Social & Cultural Geography, 2(3), 281-296.

Desforges, L., & Jones, R. (2001). Bilingualism and geographical knowledge: a case study of students at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. Social & Cultural Geography, 2(3), 333-346.

Garcia-Ramon, M. D. (2003). Globalization and international geography: the questions of languages and scholarly traditions. Progress in human geography, 27(1), 1-5.

Brasher, J. P., Alderman, D. H., & Inwood, J. F. (2017). Applying critical race and memory studies to university place naming controversies: Toward a responsible landscape policy. Papers in Applied Geography, 3(3-4), 292-307.

Rose-Redwood, R., Alderman, D., & Azaryahu, M. (2010). Geographies of toponymic inscription: new directions in critical place-name studies. Progress in Human Geography, 34(4), 453-470.

Chiblow, S., & Meighan, P. J. (2022). Language is land, land is language: The importance of Indigenous languages. Human Geography, 15(2), 206-210.

Chapman, E. (2023). Revocalising human geography: Decolonial language geographies beyond the nation-state. Progress in Human Geography, 47(1), 24-42.

  

Teaching methods

The course will use lectures and seminars. Lectures, especially in the second part of the course, will involve students more actively, using dialogue and seminar-style lectures, practical assignments, and other teaching methods inspired by cooperative learning and project-based learning.

For both 6 and 9 CFU students, the opportunity is given to present in class individually or in groups a case chosen by the students that highlights the relationship between language, place and culture. These presentations are given in class and last approximately 15 minutes.

More details and instructions will be given during the first lecture.

Assessment methods

For 6 and 9 CFU attending students, the final grade is determined by a written exam with four questions, two short and two open-ended and in mini-essay format (at least 15-20 lines). Attending students are given the opportunity to have a ‘facilitated’ written examination (with one less essay question) if they decide to present in class individually or in groups on a topic of their choice concerning the relationship between space, culture and language. The presentation will be assessed and will constitute 30% of the final grade. In addition, they will only answer one of the two essay questions in the written examination. Instructions on how to develop the presentation and assessment methods will be given during the first lecture. A document entitled ‘Assignment rubric’, which describes the assessment criteria for the presentation, will also be made available on virtuale.unibo.it.

For 6 CFU and 9 CFU non-attending students, the final grade is determined by a written exam.

The programme of the course establishes a distinction between attending and non-attending students.

EXAM ASSESSMENT FOR ATTENDING STUDENTS

Attending students will prepare for the exam the lectures materials (powerpoint slides will be made available on virtuale.unibo.it after each lecture) and the articles listed in the Bibliography.

Rationale of attending students’ assessment methods:

For students attending the classes the exam will aim at testing their comprehension of the geographical, social, linguistic and cultural phenomena described during the lessons both by the lecturer and the other students' presentations and discussed together. Participation to the discussion is a key element to evaluate the students, and with it personal reflection on the issues studied. Moreover, students will be evaluated on their communication skills and on the use of a correct terminology.

NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS

Non-attending students will find a list of the materials to prepare for the written exam under the ‘Readings/Bibliography’ section, and in the course page. Non-attending students are NOT required to prepare the lectures' slides.

Rationale of non- attending students’ assessment methods:

For students not attending the classes, the exam will aim at testing their comprehension of the geographical, social, linguistic and cultural phenomena studied, and during the exam they will be invited to propose a personal reflection on the issues studied. Moreover, they will be evaluated on their communication skills and on the use of correct terminology.

Each year there are six examination sessions: in January, February, May, June, July and September.

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible ( https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

PowerPoint presentations and other course material used by the lecturer will be published on the website virtuale.unibo.it. This includes some of the articles mentioned in the Readings/Bibliography for non-attending students.

Office hours

See the website of Annaclaudia Martini