Department of Global and Interdisciplinary Studies

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LAN200ZA
Language, Social Media and Society

Mark Birtles

Class code etc
Faculty/Graduate school Department of Global and Interdisciplinary Studies
Attached documents
Year 2023
Class code A6231
Previous Class code
Previous Class title
Term 春学期授業/Spring
Day/Period 金4/Fri.4
Class Type
Campus 市ヶ谷 / Ichigaya
Classroom name 市外濠‐S603
Grade 2~4
Credit(s) 2
Notes
Open Program
Open Program (Notes)
Global Open Program
Interdepartmental class taking system for Academic Achievers
Interdepartmental class taking system for Academic Achievers (Notes)
Class taught by instructors with practical experience
SDGs CP
Urban Design CP
Diversity CP
Learning for the Future CP
Carbon Neutral CP
Chiyoda Campus Consortium
Duplicate Subjects Taken Under Previous Class Title
Category (commenced 2024 onwards)
Category (commenced 2020-2023) 200-level Intermediate Courses(中級)
Category (commenced 2016-2019) 200-level Intermediate Courses
Linguistics and Language Acquisition

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Outline and objectives

The world of social media has led to a revolution in how we express ourselves and interact with others; the way we consume and disseminate information grows ever more complex. This increased use of computer-mediated communication means that analysis is now more critical than ever. This course aims to make sense of our digital lives by joining the dots between language, the parts of the web we use in daily life and its impact on our world.

Goal

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Understand the use of social media from an academic perspective
• Engage in scholarly discussion about social media, using appropriate ideas and terminology
• Interpret linguistic analysis on social media discourse
• Consider the wider social implications of the lives we lead online

Which item of the diploma policy will be obtained by taking this class?

Will be able to gain “DP 1”, “DP 2”, “DP 3”, and “DP 4”.

Default language used in class

英語 / English

Method(s)(学期の途中で変更になる場合には、別途提示します。 /If the Method(s) is changed, we will announce the details of any changes. )

The classes will be a mixture of lecture-based teaching and discussion, with students invited to share their own experiences. Each week we will actively engage with a social, political or ethical question regarding social media use and how it shapes our world. We will also look at the theoretical approaches scholars use to investigate the impact of the language we use on the web. Submission of assignments and feedback will be via the Learning Management System.

Active learning in class (Group discussion, Debate.etc.)

あり / Yes

Fieldwork in class

なし / No

Schedule

授業形態/methods of teaching:対面/face to face

※各回の授業形態は予定です。教員の指示に従ってください。

1[オンライン/online]:Introduction

Introduction

2[対面/face to face]:From Myspace to TikTok

How did social media evolve? What is its place in the wider historical context of computer-mediated communication?

3[対面/face to face]:Social Media and Linguistics

How does a linguist approach social media and the different aspects of language?

4[対面/face to face]:Netspeak: Changes in Language

From LOL to the emoji – how has the internet shaped the way in which we communicate?

5[対面/face to face]:Communicating IRL

Is social media "ruining" language?

6[対面/face to face]:The Power of Social Media

What part did social media play in the Capitol Hill riots?

7[対面/face to face]:Review and Midterm midterm assessment

In-class review and midterm task based on content thus far

8[対面/face to face]:English as a Lingua Franca and Code Switching

Does the internet further the global dominance of English?

9[対面/face to face]:From Anonymity to Self-promotion

Are we ever ourselves on social media?

10[対面/face to face]:The Great Privacy Debate

What are the implications of social media on privacy?

11[対面/face to face]:Anti-social Social Media

What can be done about trolls and online bullying?

12[対面/face to face]:Constructing Virtual
Communities

How do we use language to form groups?

13[対面/face to face]:The End of Society

Is social media making us less social offline?

14[対面/face to face]:Final Exam and Wrap Up

End-of-course assessment and review

Work to be done outside of class (preparation, etc.)

Preparatory study and review time for this class are 2 hours each.

Textbooks

No textbook will be required in class, materials will be supplied by the instructor.

References

Crystal, D. (2006). Language and the Internet (Second Edition). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.
Jones, R. H., & Hafner, C. A. (2021). Understanding digital literacies: A practical introduction (Second edition). London, England: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
Page, R. E., Barton, D., Unger, J., & Zappavigna, M. (2014). Researching language and social media: A student guide. London, England: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
Tagg, C. (2015). Exploring digital communication: Language in action. London, England: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
Tagg, C., Seargeant, P., & Brown, A. A. (2017). Taking offence on social media: Conviviality and communication on Facebook. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan.
Zappavigna, M. (2015). Discourse of Twitter and social media: How we use language to create affiliation on the web. London, England: Bloomsbury.

Grading criteria

Class participation 15%, assignments 15%, midterm exam 30%, final exam 40%

Changes following student comments

Following student suggestions, there will be more time allocated for group discussions to facilitate a sharing of ideas and experiences.

Equipment student needs to prepare

Please bring a laptop computer to every class. If access to a laptop computer is difficult, please inform the instructor.

Prerequisite

None.