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Regular version of the site
Master 2020/2021

Linguistic Studies of English-Speaking Countries

Category 'Best Course for Broadening Horizons and Diversity of Knowledge and Skills'
Area of studies: Linguistics
When: 1 year, 3, 4 module
Mode of studies: distance learning
Master’s programme: Иностранные языки и межкультурная коммуникация
Language: English
ECTS credits: 5
Contact hours: 50

Course Syllabus

Abstract

This course consists of two aspects: "Linguistic country studies of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" and "Linguistic country studies of the United States of America." "Linguistic country studies of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" presents a cross-scientific survey of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in terms of History, Sociology, Anthropology, Politics, and Linguistics. However, it is aimed not only at delivering information on the key events and aspects of British history and political life but, more importantly, at giving practical knowledge crucial for successful intercultural communication. The students will obtain theoretical knowledge which will help them grasp the hallmarks and trends in the political, historical, and cultural processes in the UK. Moreover, the students are taught to apply their intercultural skills relying on the system of background knowledge native to British citizens of various identities. Students are also taught to critically assess the content of provided authentic texts and video materials. Students are expected to improve and expand their specialist vocabulary in the sphere of history, politics, economy, culture etc. "Linguistic country studies of the United States of America" is dedicated to theories and practices of communicating across cultures as an increased awareness of asymmetrical power relationships and their historical contexts can lead to improved communication between people from differently situated cultural identities. Through lectures, practices, written assignments, class discussion, and engaged methodology, students will explore some of the theoretical issues that will provide them with basic knowledge on ICC.
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

  • to provide extensive knowledge on history, geography, culture, political environment, educational systems, and social life of the UK and the US
  • to develop skills of intercultural communication in English-speaking environments in the context of the UK and US studies
  • to further develop students’ critical thinking skills in the context of the UK and US studies
  • to give students a grounding of basic intercultural communication (ICC) theories, methodology and scientific approaches to ICC in the context of the UK and US studies
  • to teach students to analyze ICC phenomena and find successful solutions to ICC-based problems in the context of the UK and US studies
  • to teach students to analyze historic, cultural, economic, social, and political phenomena in terms of the 5 C's of historical thinking (context, causality, change over time, contingency, complexity)
Expected Learning Outcomes

Expected Learning Outcomes

  • Students will demonstrate in-depth knowledge in history, geography, economic and political environment, cultural life in the UK after WWII
  • Students will possess a system of sociocultural knowledge necessary for successful intercultural communication
  • Students will adhere to British behavioral culture taking into consideration English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish attitudes, values, linguistic norms, and conversational formulas
  • Students will review, analyze, and evaluate the context, causes, and effects of major political and socio-cultural events in the UK after WWII.
  • Students will analyze the current political situation in the UK, paying special attention to the reasons and outcomes of Brexit.
  • Students will adhere to British behavioral culture taking into consideration English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish attitudes, values, linguistic norms, and conversational formulas.
  • demonstrate in-depth knowledge in history, geography, economic and political environment, cultural life in the UK
  • possess a system of sociocultural knowledge necessary for successful intercultural communication
  • adhere to British behavioral culture taking into consideration English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish attitudes, values, linguistic norms and conversational formulas
  • identify the major perspectives in the field of intercultural communication
  • use multidisciplinary theoretical perspectives to analyze media texts in their cultural context
  • debate the ethical issues of intercultural communication in practice
  • critically assess institutional and individual intercultural communication practices
  • use multidisciplinary theoretical perspectives to analyze media texts in
  • use multidisciplinary theoretical perspectives to analyze media texts in their cultural contexts
Course Contents

Course Contents

  • Identity in the UK.
    Symbols of national identity in England Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Geographical identity. Ethnic identity. Family identity. Who can be called natives in Great Britain?
  • 20-21 centuries. The UK as part of the world
    The moods after WWI; Key world political and military conflicts with the participation of the UK after WWII; The British society in the fifties, sixties, seventies and nineties. The Commonwealth.
  • Internal conflicts in the UK in modern era. What is what in modern Britain?
    Brexit as a burning issue for modern British society; Political scandal in history and at present; Studying in the UK; working in the UK; living in the UK; The Royal Family and its image; Mass media: biased or not? Reading between the lines; Humour as a style of living; Heroes and celebrities.
  • The geographical position of the USA. Exploration and Colonization of North America.
    Сlimate, the major rivers, lakes, mountain ranges; general information about the country and its people (melting pot vs pizza). The history of the settlement and establishment of control of the continents of the Americas by most of the naval powers of Western Europe
  • The War of Independence. The Civil War. The period of Reconstruction. The USA at the end of the 19th century.
    During those years, the United States evolved from a new nation fighting Great Britain for independence, through the monumental American Civil War and, after collaborating in triumph during World War II, to the world's sole remaining superpower.
  • The USA in the 1st and in the 2nd halves of the 20th century. The USA at the beginning of the 21st
    The 20th century was a time of enormous changes in American life. The beginning of the 21st century seems a suitable time to look back over the past 100 years and see how the United States has developed, for better and worse, during that period of its history
  • Governmental system of the USA. The US Constitution. Presidential election in the USA. Presidential race of 2016. Super-Duper Tuesday and the 2020 United States presidential election.
    The Founding Fathers, the framers of the U.S. Constitution, wanted to form a government that did not allow one person to have too much control. With this in mind, they wrote the Constitution to provide for a separation of powers, or three separate branches of government. The president is the head of state, head of the U.S. government, and the commander-in-chief of the U.S. military
  • Regional division of the USA. Linguocultural analysis of American newspaper and magazine article
    There are countless ways to divide the US on cultural, geographical, and even racial lines. Linguistic features and peculiarities of the American English language in the realia of the USA
Assessment Elements

Assessment Elements

  • non-blocking British studies
    The grade is counted as a sum of all the grades received within the study period and divided by its number. All the grades are rounded half up (arithmetic rounding) to the nearest whole numerical grade.
  • non-blocking American studies
    The grade is counted as a summ of all the grades received within the study period and divided by its number. All the grades are rounded half up (arithmetic rounding) to the nearest whole numerical grade.
  • non-blocking Examination
  • non-blocking Online course test
    Link to the online course: https://ru.coursera.org/learn/the-south . Students do not have to complete the final test given by the platform; they will be given one designed by their course professor(s).
Interim Assessment

Interim Assessment

  • Interim assessment (4 module)
    0.25 * American studies + 0.25 * British studies + 0.4 * Examination + 0.1 * Online course test
Bibliography

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

  • An illustrated history of Britain, McDowall, D., 2014
  • Benzak, J., & Cook, S. (2009). The Rough Guide to the USA (Vol. 9th [updated] ed). London: Penguin Random House LLC. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=319896
  • Britain in Close-Up : an in-depth study of contemporary Britain, NEW EDITION, now with website addresses, 208 p., McDowall, D., 2006
  • Голицынский, Ю.Б. Великобритания : пособие по страноведению / Ю. Б. Голицынский : [2-е изд., испр.] — Санкт-Петербург : КАРО, 2019. — 480 с. - ISBN 978-5-9925-1350-9. - Режим доступа: https://new.znanium.com/catalog/product/1047325
  • Зайцева С.Е., Щавелева Е.Н. - Curious Facts about Great Britain. (Бакалавриат и специалитет) - КноРус - 2019 - 171с. - ISBN: 978-5-406-00958-1 - Текст электронный // ЭБС BOOKRU - URL: https://book.ru/book/932467

Recommended Additional Bibliography

  • Прохорова О. Н., Вишнякова О.Д., Чекулай И.В. - Базовые ценности американской культуры. The Basic Values in American Culture: Privacy: учеб. пособие - Издательство "ФЛИНТА" - 2017 - 112с. - ISBN: 978-5-9765-1471-3 - Текст электронный // ЭБС ЛАНЬ - URL: https://e.lanbook.com/book/119298