What is the value of language study, both for people and for societies? I’ve been studying Chinese, and like to take a standard Chinese test for language learning called the HSK to measure my progress. This spring I took the test at my university’s excellent Confucius Institute. The room was filled with children, and their …
Category: language
Permanent link to this article: https://www.introtoglobalstudies.com/2019/08/on-languages/
Feb 04
Tools to learn Chinese
What are some of the best tools and resources to study Mandarin? One of the hardest tasks when learning another language is to remain motivated for the long term, which is why it it’s helpful to have a goal. The HSK (Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì) is a standard Chinese proficiency test, which is administered by the …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.introtoglobalstudies.com/2019/02/tools-to-learn-mandarin-chinese/
Apr 01
Small victories and language
I’ve been studying Chinese for about two and a half years now, and I’m making slow progress. Very slow. I am certainly at that point in language study at which I say “after all this time, is this really the best that I’m able to speak Mandarin?” Last summer I was in China, and had …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.introtoglobalstudies.com/2018/04/small-victories-and-language/
Mar 01
Language and Loss
When Kim Brown and wrote our textbook, we drafted one chapter on language that just didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the text. Still, we’ve included the chapter for free online on this website, in the hope that faculty may use it. I became fascinated with language while researching HIV prevention strategies in …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.introtoglobalstudies.com/2018/03/language-loss-in-british-columbia/
Nov 20
Human Rights and Language
My colleague Kim Brown is teaching a fantastic new online class on “Human Rights and Language.” Besides being the co-author of our Introduction to International and Global Studies textbook, Kim also has perhaps won more teaching awards than any other person in our department. If you are interested, you can see how to register for the class as a …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.introtoglobalstudies.com/2017/11/human-rights-and-language/
Sep 07
Globalization, Internationalization, and English for Academic Purposes
Kimberley Brown Portland State University Guest blog post Many campuses in the US and Canada have formalized comprehensive internationalization plans that call for increased numbers of international students on campuses, augmented numbers of outbound study abroad students, and expanded partnerships with universities around the world. International Studies Programs may have a unique role to play …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.introtoglobalstudies.com/2015/09/globalization-internationalization-and-english-for-academic-purposes/
Feb 21
Sheng: Cultural Globalization and New Languages in Africa
With cultural globalization comes cultural change. I have been on the Rio Negro in the Amazon rainforest, only to hear a canoe approach with someone playing Madonna. Hip hop has become a global phenomenon. Many people decry what they see as the emergence of a new global culture: shallow, celebrity-focused and American dominated. Part of …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.introtoglobalstudies.com/2012/02/sheng-cultural-globalization-and-new-languages-in-africa/
Jan 01
Language and Maps in Global Studies
I’ve mentioned my favorite website, Strange Maps, in an earlier post. Part of the reason I enjoy it is that it’s filled with visual information, which makes it fun to examine after a long day of reading or writing. But I just came upon one post with images so striking that they made my jaw …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.introtoglobalstudies.com/2012/01/twitter-and-language-in-global-studies/
Read a Sample from the Book
