WCL205 AreaStudies:Culture & Traditons
Language cannot be studied in isolation but rather through its functions in all spheres of the life of society, its role as a means of communication and cognition, and as an instrument of culture. As the connection between the language and the life of the people who speak it has been well-established, studying foreign languages in broad social, political and cultural contexts becomes a necessity. Students are introduced to the culture and civilization of the people whose language they study acquiring a deep understanding of the world in which the languages they study function. Students are encouraged to combine knowledge of a certain country or region with knowledge of the language/s spoken there. The curriculum includes courses in various aspects of a region: students study its history, population, economy, culture, literature and religion.