Perspectives on the Multilingual United States Instructor: Lucy McInerney, John Katunich Course Description:
This course introduces the social, cultural and linguistic landscape of the United States while also explaining the forms, conventions, and expectations of U.S. academic writing. Students will read a variety of texts to provide different perspectives on the multilingual character of the United States and how linguistic identities intersect with identities of race, class, nationality, and (dis)ability. Through class discussion and writing assignments, students will develop a critical understanding of the issues of power and privilege that shape the interaction between dominant and subordinated linguistic groups. In addition, students will learn about U.S. academic discourse by engaging in research and practicing a functional, recursive writing process in order to produce thesis-driven arguments. The course is specifically designed to support multilingual and international writers at Dickinson College. Full credit. Offered every year. Open to international students or by permission of instructor.