This course presents an introduction to fundamental concepts regarding language, bilingualism, and society, and furthermore, we will integrate these concepts with real-world applied contexts, specifically to technology and large language models, healthcare and health behavior, weather risk communication, business management, and immigration, law, and politics. You will learn about how languages, such as Spanish and English, are used and perceived in these contexts and how their use and perception can have positive and negative material outcomes for speakers. Texts include both scholarly readings and items from the popular press, and assignments are structured to encourage students to think critically and relate their own experiences and those of others to theories of applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, and bilingualism. The course is divided into six modules, namely: (1) Foundational Topics and Theory, (2), Large Language Models and Artificial Intelligence, (3) Health Behavior and Medicine, (4), Weather and Risk Communication, (5) Business and Entrepreneurship, and (6) Immigration, Law, and Politics. The purpose of the course is two-fold: to expand on current opportunities for students to learn about the sociolinguistic components of speaking Spanish and/or being bilingual in the U.S. and for students to make direct applications between linguistics and applied settings.
The course is taught in English and does not count toward the Spanish major or minor.
The course meets the general education requirements of Social & Beh Sci - Soc Sci, and Cultural Studies - US Minority.
Registration for CRN 41625 is restricted to Chancellor’s Scholars.
The course meets Tuesdays and Thursdays (2:00 - 3:20pm, Location TBD).
Instructor: Salvatore Callesano