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Kramsch combines insights from linguistics, anthropology and sociology to show how language represents and constructs social reality.
List of contents
Introduction; Part I. The Power of Symbolic Representation: 1. 'I speak therefore I am'; 2. The politics of representation; 3. Narratives of power: the power of narrative; Part II. The Power of Symbolic Action: 4. 'I do things with words, therefore I am'; 5. From symbolic power to symbolic violence; 6. When symbolic violence becomes symbolic warfare; Part III. The Power to Create Symbolic Reality: 7. 'I am seen and talked about, therefore I am'; 8. Language as symbolic power in the digital age; 9. Engaging with symbolic power: responding to symbolic violence; Conclusion.
About the author
Claire Kramsch is Professor Emerita at the University of California, Berkeley. She has won the Kenneth Mildenberger Award from the Modern Language Association three times, for Context and Culture in Language Teaching (1993), The Multilingual Subject (2009) and The Multi-lingual Instructor (2018, with Lihua Zhang). She is the past President of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) and of the International Association of Applied Linguistics (AILA).
Summary
Bringing together insights from linguistics, anthropology and sociology, this book provides a lively introduction to the symbolic power of language. It has been written for language teachers and learners, as well as researchers in applied linguistics and anyone interested in the use of language in everyday life.
Additional text
'This book is a tour de force, the fruit of Kramsch's brilliant command of ideas and arguments from many fields and many language and cultures. It is powerfully and clearly argued – and a pleasure to read. The provocation to re-think so many issues in applied linguistics and language teaching continues long after the reader has put this exhilarating book down.' Tim McNamara, Professor Emeritus in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics (Honorary), University of Melbourne
