Talk and Text: Discourse, Society, and Power

Description from DukeHub

Talk and text are ubiquitous aspects of language practices in everyday life. But how do they reflect, (re)produce, negotiate, and challenge social, cultural, and political power relations? Focusing on real-world examples of language-in-use, we will apply linguistic methods, including conversation and critical discourse analysis, to grasp the mechanics of talk and text. We will draw on an eclectic range of classical and contemporary social theories, from anthropology, sociology, and geography, to situate this language-in-use in relations of social, cultural, and political power. Seminar- and workshop-based with a final project; some knowledge of sociolinguistics desirable but not required.

Skills

• languagesdescription: "linguistic" and 2 more
• research methodsAI review: "with a final project"

AI-resilient: 3 of 5 3/5

• No: Physical, lab or field work
• ✓Yes: Live work with people · "negotiate"
• ✓Yes: Judgment someone is accountable for · "negotiate"
• No: A craft you practice with your hands or body
• ✓Yes: Small, in-person format · seminar, 18 seats per section

The checks lean on Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025), which found generative AI applies least to physical work and hands-on work with people. A signal, not a promise. How the score works

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