PWR 2JJA: Language, Culture, and Belonging Across Generations

“Parasocial”, “aura-farming”,  “Biohack”, “slop”,  and “rage-bait” all made it to the top of “word of the year” lists in 2025. What do they tell us? Shifts in language reflect deeper shifts in values and worldviews; how we joke, protest, persuade, interpret cultural norms or engage in relationships tells a story about who we are and how we see the world.  With the rise of digital and social media, accelerated language change has made visible new forms of communication, irony, and code-switching, raising new questions about authenticity, authority, and how language is remixed, reclaimed and reimagined. 

In this writing and speaking course, we will examine the role of language in constructing identity and belonging across digital platforms, political movements, and cultural spaces. Together, we’ll explore cultural shifts in educational participation, civic engagement, and how digital ecosystems—from TikTok to meme communities—mediate communication, miscommunication, and conflict across generations and cultural spaces. We will also critically examine generational labels and stereotypes––like Baby Boomer, Gen X, Millennial and GenZ––not as fixed categories but as reflections of broader social, economic and cultural shifts. 

Building on insights from fields such as sociolinguistics, cultural studies and media studies, you are invited to take an interdisciplinary approach to investigate an issue that matters to you. Exploring new modes in written and oral communication, you will have the opportunity to work across genres and translate your research for live audiences.

Examples of Research Topics  

For this course, you will engage in a quarter-long in-depth research project. Sample topics include examining viral trends around self-optimization, cancel culture, language learning or meme remixes, investigating shifting approaches to mental health and medicine, analyzing how first- and second-generation families sustain or lose their home languages, and exploring cultural shifts in political or religious engagement.

PWR 2 Assignment Sequence

Research Proposal (3 to 5-minute live oral presentation; written proposal of 900-1200 words): You’ll propose a project that investigates the social, cultural, aesthetic, or political dimensions of a topic related to language or cultural shift, “generational” identity, or emerging digital discourse.  Students will translate their proposal into a research pitch.

Written Research-Based Argument (3000-3600 words; 10-12 pages): You’ll expand upon the ideas expressed in your research proposal to craft a research-based argument that seeks to persuade your intended audience and make a small contribution to the conversation. You are encouraged to include a component of primary research—such as rhetorical or discourse analysis of social media,  Hey ethnography, interviews, surveys, or archival research—to complement your secondary research and support your analysis of social, political, or aesthetic trends.

Research Presentation (10-minute live oral presentation with appropriate multimedia support): To conclude the quarter, you will translate your written argument into a memorable 10-minute research talk that incorporates multimedia.