Learning objectives

On successful completion of this module, PhD students will be able to demonstrate to
• understand the basic theoretical concepts and methodological issues underlying Language Policy analysis;
• be able to apply their knowledge and critical thinking to describe Language Policy in a given context;
• recognize variation in Language Policy in different countries;
• identify motivational background for Language Policy see the complex relationship between norm-setting and democratization of language.

Program

The first part of this seminar offers an introduction to some key concepts of Language Policy, as well as some issues related to research methodology within the field. In particular, we will see how research within the field of LP can be applied to describe the contemporary situation in the Southern Caucasus region, namely in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. In the second part of the seminar, LP in the Soviet Union and Russia will be discussed with special attention to status and norm-setting of the Russian and other languages. For comparison, a short survey to LP in Scandinavian countries will be conducted.

Readings

• Viimaranta, H., Protassova, E. & Mustajoki, A. (2018). Russian-speakers in Finland: The ambiguities of a growing minority. Revue d’études comparatives Est-Ouest, 4, 95-128.
• Mustajoki, Arto; Protassova, Ekaterina; Yelenevskaya, Maria (Eds.). 2020. The soft power of the Russian language: pluricentrity, politics and policies. Abingdon: Routledge (in particular, chapters 1-6, 15).
• Pavlenko, Aneta. 2008.mMultilingualism in post-Soviet countries. Bristol: Multilingual matters.
• Spolsky, Bernard. 2018. The Cambridge Handbook of language policy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Assessment

PhD students can choose aspects of the module as topic of their term paper.

Scheduled Lessons