COM 380 Language & Power

Language and Power is a course on society, ideology and politics that analyzes language use in relation to power. Language empowers us to transfer information, share imagination and construct our history. Through language we transfer information, communicate, create and sustain communities, manage social discourse and spread ideologies. We use language power to control political, economic and social domains, manipulate the public, advertise products, forefront political agenda, and gain control over minds as well as territories. The power of language is also exercised in marginalizing minorities, migrants and indigenous languages.