Linguistic and Cultural Equity: Theories and Practice

Catalog description

Globally, people speak different languages. There are mainstream languages that are well accepted and used in business, in media, in religion, in politics, and in other spaces of social interaction. This preference for particular languages, however, leaves many populations and communities behind. Concepts central to the course include the investigation of policies, processes, and interactions that perpetuate inequity in areas such as politics, education, healthcare, scientific research, finance, and the environment. Because barriers exist for people whose languages and cultures are not considered mainstream, they are excluded from the narrative and conversations regarding their own welfare. Creating ethical opportunities to increase safety, acknowledgment, and agency for excluded groups is both necessary and valuable. To explore these imbalances, students will propose and deliver a collaborative project rooted in establishing priorities and approaches to be determined through analysis of survey data, discussion, and reflection on course experiences. Class sessions will involve individual and collaborative work. The transdisciplinary competencies gained in this course can be applied in fields such as human rights, public policy, and education.