World Englishes: From Colonization to Globalization

Whether in media, academia, or science and technology, English is the globally-dominant language of the 21st century, but this status was not achieved by accident. This mixed lecture- and seminar-based course examines how the story of English, from colonization to globalization, shapes and is shaped by interlocking social, political, economic, and cultural contexts that have evolved over the past five hundred years. Taking a big-picture view from critical sociolinguistics, we look at how Englishes – in the plural – have been imposed, resisted, and reimagined over time and in different parts of the world, focusing particularly on musical, literary, and other cultural forms. No prior knowledge of linguistics is required.