SemesterSpring Semester, 2018
DepartmentInternational Doctor Program in Asia-Pacific Studies, First Year International Doctor Program in Asia-Pacific Studies, Second Year
Course NameThe Languages of the Pacific: History, Linguistics, Sociology, and Politics
InstructorDE BUSSER RIK LOUIS JOSE
Credit3.0
Course TypeElective
Prerequisite
Course Objective
Course Description
Course Schedule
















































































































Week



Content and readings



Activities



Estimated work load (incl. hours in class)



1



Introduction



Lecture



5



2



Peopling the Pacific I: Pacific prehistory



Required reading, lecture, discussion



5



4



Peopling the Pacific II: Before the Austronesians



Required reading, lecture, discussion



5



5



Australian languages I



Required reading, lecture, discussion



5



6



Indigenous Australia II: Case studies



Lecture, Presentations, discussion



5



7



Papuan languages I



Required reading, lecture, discussion



5



8



Papuan cultures III: Case studies



Lecture, Presentations, discussion



5



9



Peopling the Pacific III: The Austronesian expansion



Required reading, lecture, discussion



5



10



Midterms



Write abstract



5



11



Austronesian languages I: Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Madagascar



Required reading, lecture, discussion



5



12



Austronesian languages II: The Deep Pacific



Required reading, lecture, discussion



5



13



Austronesian languages III: Case studies



Lecture, Presentations, discussion



5



14



Austronesian languages IV: Case studies



Lecture, Presentations, discussion



5



15



Languages of colonization



Required reading, lecture, discussion



5



16



Languages of colonization: Case studies



Lecture, Presentations, discussion



5



17



Conclusion and discussion



Discussion



5



18



Final exam



Write essay



5




This is a preliminary schedule. The final schedule of this course will be compiled in consultation with the students.


Teaching Methods
Teaching Assistant

To be determined.


Requirement/Grading

Participation in discussions: 40%

Presentations: 30%

Mid-term abstract & final essay: 30%



For the final essay, you have to choose a topic and propose a research plan in a mid-term report. In order to pass your essay you need to demonstrate that:




  • You understand the information presented to you during the lectures and in your required reading.

  • You are able to conduct independent academic research, by correctly referring to linguistic studies that are not part of the course materials or reference materials.

  • You are able to write a well-structured essay in English.



Grading scale































100-90



90-80



80-70



70-60



59-50



below 50



A+



A



B



C



D



E



excellent



very good



good



adequate



adequate



fail



Textbook & Reference

A list of required and optional readings will be made available at the beginning of the semester.



Reference works:



Adelaar, K. Alexander & Nikolaus P. Himmelmann (eds.). 2005. The Austronesian Languages of Asia and Madagascar. London: Routledge.



Bellwood, Peter. 1997. Prehistory of the Indo-Malaysian Archipelago, Revised Edition. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press.



Blust, Robert. 2013. The Austronesian Languages, Revised Edition. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University. URL: http://pacling.anu.edu.au/materials/Blust2013Austronesian.pdf



Foley, William A. 1986. The Papuan Languages of New Guinea. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.



Mühlhäusler, Peter. 1996. Linguistic Ecology: Language Change and Linguistic Imperialism in the Pacific Region. London: Routledge.


Urls about Course
Attachment