The Language of Politics

The project I would like students to complete for this class is an analysis of the language that surrounds one particular issue that is currently being debated. In particular, I'd like multiple analyses, one from each perspective that has been expressed on the issue. For example, someone could examine the issue of bilingualism in the US. At a minimum, I would expect a project on this issue to include an assessment from the point of view assimilationsists (those who feel that immigrants should learn English), as well as from the point of view of pluralists (those who feel that society should support a multi-lingual environment and the preservation of traditional cultures). Each analysis should include an in-depth description of the identity politics that are in play for each faction.

One of the tools that I would like people to employ in constructing each analysis is a concept map. From wikipedia:

A concept map is a diagram showing the relationships between concepts. Concepts are connected with labelled arrows, in a downward-branching hierarchical structure. The relationship between concepts is articulated in linking phrases, e.g., "gives rise to", "results in", "is required by," or "contributes to".

Here's an example of what a concept map looks like:

Thus, a completed project will include a prose section giving history and/or contextual information relevant to the issue, and then a series of concept maps accompanied by explanatory text describing how the concepts and terms are deployed within that perspective.

Here's another site with examples and references.