Approaches rooted in disciplinary linguistics, such as Critical Discourse Analysis, are anthropology’s close kin, while political and social theorists writing on “ideology” are of obvious relevance. Although the anthropological approach to language ideology is distinctive, it overlaps with research in other disciplines. Authors writing on this topic have variously called it “linguistic ideology,” “language ideology,” or “ideology of language.” The slight differences of terminology have not signaled major differences in conception. Their positioning makes language ideologies always partial, in that they can never encompass all possible views-but also partial in that they are at play in the sphere of interested human social action. Language ideologies are inherently plural: because they are positioned, there is always another position-another perspective from which the world of discursive practice is differently viewed. Those construals include the ways people conceive of language itself, as well as what they understand by the particular languages and ways of speaking that are within their purview. It is to examine how people construe language’s role in a social and cultural world, and how their construals are socially positioned.

To study language ideologies, then, is to explore the nexus of language, culture, and politics. Like other kinds of ideologies, language ideologies are pervaded with political and moral interests and are shaped in a cultural setting. It is a fulcrum of the very philosophy according to which governments function and formulate policies.Language ideologies are conceptualizations about languages, speakers, and discursive practices. It lies purely within its realm to explain, for instance, the different reasons that contribute to the steep rise in the unemployment graph. It tries to reveal underlying social issues that closely form our experiences, which subsequently can clarify a great deal about the functioning of our society. At the same time, it also carries out extensive studies about the manner in which people tend to organize, behave and affect change in the world surrounding them. Social Science is a vast discipline which aims to discover human society and its different constructs and their connection with human relationships. Their findings inform public policies, education programs, urban design, marketing strategies, and many other endeavours. Social scientists study how societies work, exploring everything from the triggers of economic growth and the causes of unemployment to what makes people happy. The branches of social science include anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, and sociology. Social science is the study of how people interact with one another. Anthropology has various subfields, like, cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, etc.Īpart from these, some other branches of social science are: The primary purpose of this subject is to come to terms with our origin, and comprehend what makes each of us a different being. Furthermore, a student will learn the relationship between social hierarchy, its structure vis-a-vis evolution, and how individuals are just another product of the whole historical process. One of the significant academic branches of Social Sciences, Anthropology encompasses the study of different aspects of the human condition and delves deep into a societies’ cultural moorings, and how over the years culture has shaped human behaviour.

Now, let’s unravel the salient features of some of the sought-after branches of Social Science: Anthropology Political Science: The study of political systems and governments.

Psychology: The study of the human mind and behaviour.

Sociology: The study of human society, relationships and social change.

Cultural Studies: The study of diverse cultures.

Linguistics: The scientific study of language.

International Relations: The study of relationships between nations and cultures.

Philosophy: The study of the nature of existence.

Development Studies: The study of the evolution of countries from socio-economic, cultural, political and geographical perspectives.

Law: The study of legal systems in different aspects from people to businesses and the environment.

Economics: The study of production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.

Human Geography: The study of the relationship between people and places.

Archaeology: The study of the human past through recovery and analysis of material culture.

Anthropology: The Study of People, Past and Present.

The below-provided list will help you find the best specialisation of Social Sciences you are more interested in: If you’re interested in this discipline but you’re still unable to decide which subject to choose from different branches of social sciences, you don’t have to wait up anymore.

Linguistic anthropology definition