https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/L_AABACIW203After having successfully completed this module, students will:have a solid overview of the linguistic diversity within the member states of the EU and how this diversity is managed at an institutional level;have a clear understanding of the basic terminology within the field of multilingualism, such as official and non-official languages, majority and minority languages, heritage languages;understand the consequences of living in a multilingual environment for EU citizens (both on a personal level as well as on a societal level);have become acquainted with a variety of problems that multilingual institutions (e.g. companies, schools, governmental bodies) face when it comes to managing linguistic diversity and different solutions that have been proposed;know about the strategies that people use to deal with linguistic diversity in their lives;be able to discuss and analyze situations where linguistic diversity may cause problems and consider solutions.In this course, we will study various concepts related to multilingualism and examine the linguistic landscape in the EU. The EU has 27 member states and 24 official languages. But in all of these member states, other languages besides the official language are spoken as well, some with an official status as regional languages or heritage languages, some without. Recently, new languages have entered the EU as a result of migration. The EU is thus home to speakers of hundreds of languages who not only have to co-exist and communicate with each other but also need access to resources and services. We will study the various domains in which this multilingual communication takes place and the different views that EU countries have on the position of these languages. Core concepts include majority/minority languages and official/non-official languages, and the consequences that these definitions have on the personal and professional lives of their speakers. We will also consider issues related to equality and linguistic justice and think critically about complex societal issues concerning the management of linguistic diversity in the EU.Lectures and seminarsWritten exam and group projectWill be announced on Canvas.Second-year students in Communication and Information Studies, specialisation 'Language and Media', exchange students with a relevant backgroundAttendance is mandatory. Students must have actively participated in lectures, seminars and online activities in order to be eligible for the exam.