Analyzing Language in Conflict

Analyzing Language in Conflict

Description:

This individual study program includes, for the most part, four areas of study:  linguistics, philosophy, law, and political science. At the center is conflict that arises between people of different backgrounds. The differences could be cultural, racial, ethnic, age or sex-based, and so on. The aim of combining the four afore-mentioned areas of studies is to use the first two (linguistics and philosophy) to analyze the last two (the political thought behind cultural conflict and legislation), caused by it and generated for its control.

PHIL 211 (Logic) and PHIL 330 (Language, Truth and Reality) give a simple background in philosophical analysis. Together they serve as primary methods and help analyze language by breaking it down to basics. SPAN 381 (Spanish Pragmatics) serves as a secondary methods course, offering a focus on language as a living, breathing tool with many factors influencing the importance and denotation of specific phrases. SPAN 331 (Hispanic Linguistics) provides the foundation to be fully critical of the minute details that make up the difference between very similar words or statements.

POL 253 (Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict) examines the nature of cultural conflict in depth. The remaining courses explore ways to properly understand the role that law and politics play in dealing with social strife in general, and look at the role that labels can play in advancing discrimination in the supposedly post-racial
climate of a country.

The capstone project will focus on:
• the rise of inflammatory language in different cultures, the history of their inception, and the reasons behind their success in provoking conflict;
• the theoretical approaches taken to settle tensions that use potentially offensive language;
• historical examples of both, gone either stunningly smoothly or awfully awry;
• and the idea of merging tactics to come up with better plans.

This student hopes to become a lawyer fighting for civil equality. He intends to use the skills acquired in every step of his decision making as a lawyer.

Related Courses:
POL 104 Intro to Comparative Politics
FYS 121 Culture Clas: Turkey & Germany
PHIL 211 Logic
PHIL 330 Language, Truth & Reality
PHIL 328 Deliberative Democracy
POL 253 Nationalism & Ethnic Conflict
POL 225 American Constitutional Law
SPA 331 Hispanic Linguistics Today
SPA 381 Spanish Pragmatics
AFS 267 Race, Gender & the Law
AFS 351 Down by Law: Tools of Oppression
IDS 464 Individualized Study
Graduation year: 2014