Language and gender

This course is an introduction to the large body of literature on Language and Gender within Sociolinguistics and within studies of language in social context more generally. Students will investigate how language in use mediates, and is mediated by, social constructions of gender and sexuality. An emphasis on the history of research in language and gender, which contains distinct phases and movements in the field, will culminate in a current description of the state of language and gender research today. Particular attention will be paid to the evolution of feminist theory, ideology, hegemony, performativity, and the “borders” of gender identities. Students will read scholarly articles and write critical reflection papers, and complete a final paper on a topic related to language and gender.