ENGL 1B04 Language and Society in Europe

Dr Rita Kelly
rita.kelly@polyu.edu.hk

Topics to be covered this semester

In this course, we will be talking about the various languages spoken in Europe and why and
how they spread to other parts of the world. We will also cover some of the key issues
concerning Europeans today: the environment; Brexit, and how this will be/ is affecting trade
and the European Union overall; immigration, both within the EU and from outside Europe; and
how governments in many countries are struggling with ideological shifts and reeling from the
pandemic’s effects. We will also talk about what makes Europeans, Europeans and how
different they all are, why they behave like they do and what some of them consider important.
We will be exploring certain cities, like London and Barcelona, the cuisine of France and the
fantastic art of Italy.

Week 1 – Europe and this course

An Introduction to this course and the various topics we will be covering
Week 2 – A brief introduction to Europe
Week 3 – Introduction to the various languages spoken in Europe today
Week 4 – Cross-cultural communication
From week 5 we will be talking about a different country (or group of countries) every week,
this will include an introduction to their languages
Week 5 – The EU
Week 6 – Spain: focus on productivity
Week 7 – NO CLASS (Chung Yeung Festival)
Week 8 – The UK: a trading Nation
Week 9 – France: the impact of migration
Week 10 – Italy: a history of art
Week 11 – Portugal: the beginning of colonialism
Week 12 – Scandinavia: a better Europe?
Week 13 – The Balkans: war and religion
TBC – materials on additional topic to be posted on BB to make up for the week 7 –
Germany and Switzerland: demography and democracy

Assessment description and dates (please refer to separate documents in the assessment
section of BB for more detailed descriptions)

The last three assignments need to be completed to pass this course

1. Three topics – Select ONE European country and then summarize THREE different issues
affecting that European country today – 4% of final grade. DUE FRIDAY 17 SEPT AT 23:59
VIA TURNITIN (WEEK 3)
2. Summary 1 – Pick just one of the three topics in your first assignment and describe it
based on 2 articles you have read – 18% of the final grade. DUE FRIDAY 8 OCT AT 23:59
VIA TURNITIN (WEEK 6)
3. Summary 2 – Find another two articles on the same topic that provide different/
contradictory points of view – 18% of the final grade. DUE FRIDAY 5 NOV AT 23:59 VIA
TURNITIN (WEEK 10)
4. Discussion – Find another two articles on the same topic, read them, integrate them
with your previous summaries and provide your own point of view on the issue – 40% of
the final grade. DUE FRIDAY 26 NOV AT 23:59 VIA TURNITIN (WEEK 13)
5. Participation – 20% of final grade
Participation will be assessed on the frequency and quality of your contributions in
seminar discussions which will have a pre-assigned topic(s). Class sharing of any given
homework will also be counted. Participating regularly throughout the semester will
 allow you to get a satisfactory grade; participating regularly and making meaningful,
thoughtful contributions will make it possible for you to have a good/ very good grade
for this assessment component. Participation means active participation in discussion
topics. After discussion time is over, groups will be sharing their ideas with the rest of
the class through google docs or PPTs. The teacher needs to be informed of the
students’ willingness to present beforehand, i.e. halfway through the discussion time,
not after. This is for organisational purposes and to ensure that all those wishing to
present have time to do so.
Do not take this course if you cannot attend in person AND do not have a functioning
mic!

Important points to note:

- 'An issue' means ‘an important topic or problem for debate or discussion’ that is
currently relevant. E.g.: immigration, Brexit, the pandemic affecting the tourism
sector, nationalism and Catalonia, the rise of the far right in Germany, Poland, etc.
- Choose an issue where there ARE clearly different perspectives, otherwise you will
not be able to have a final discussion where you evaluate the opportunities and
problems/ obstacles associated with this issue. An obvious example would be how
differently people assess Brexit as bringing more benefits than disadvantages (in
specific domains such as economy, immigration, etc.) or the other way around. A
less obvious but equally acceptable topic would be whether or not there are
sufficient resources and assistance for people suffering from mental health problems
in Germany.
- If you wish to write about the pandemic, you must relate it to a specific aspect of
society or issue (economy, racial discrimination, international politics, etc.) within
your chosen country – you cannot simply write about the ‘pandemic’ in general’. For
example: ‘Should Italy keep its doors open to refugees, asylum seekers and
immigrants in need under the Covid-19 epidemic situation?’
 - Make sure the issue is current, i.e. relevant to people in that society today. For
example, if you wish to write about WWII, you need to relate it to some kind of
contemporary debate or issue. Also, you cannot simply write about ‘Italian Art’ but
you can, for instance, explore how contemporary art in Italy tries to address issues
of sexism.
- Topics must relate to the themes covered in the course but do not need to ‘match’
them exactly. For example, if we discuss immigration in relation to France in week 9,
you do not have to write about exactly that; you can relate the issue to another
country and/ or narrow it down to a specific policy or aspect (such as in the
pandemic example given above)

Assignments submitted late without medical justification will automatically be

downgraded. Those submitted more than 3 days after the due date will get an
F.

PLAGIARISM: the Department of English has a no-tolerance policy

regarding plagiarism. Any kind or AMOUNT will result in an ‘F’ grade for
the whole subject with no option to withdraw. For more information please
check document and links in the assessment section of BB.