COURSE DESCRIPTION:

 

The aim of this course is to study some aspects of the relationships between discourse, cognition, and social cognition. On the one hand, it focuses on some cognitive structures and processes (memory, mental models, etc.) that play an important role in the production and comprehension of discourse. On the other hand, it focuses on social cognition, in particular ideology, to observe the role it plays in the use of discourse in society (in communication, politics, economics, culture, etc.).

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The course is useful for master's and doctoral students who research and analyze discourse in a multidisciplinary way (exploring beyond textual structures). It is also recommended for journalists, psychologists, sociologists or professionals who are interested in the function of discourse from the point of view of cognition and social cognition.

 

​The course will be given by Dr. César Rojo, researcher and professor at the Centre of Discourse Studies. At the end of the course there will be a lecture by Dr. Teun van Dijk, who will talk about discourse and knowledge.

The course consists of 20 hours of class. The dynamics of the course are theoretical and dialectical (in class there will be time for participants to discuss the topics presented). Some previous readings will be recommended. The course will be held online and in-person at the Centre of Discourse Studies in Barcelona* (*in-person format subject to participation).

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PROGRAM:

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28 Sept. (Saturday), 16:00 to 19:00 (CEST time zone): Introduction to discourse theory. General explanation of the structures of discourse, its relation to society, the cognitive component of discourse, the historical dimension and the multimodal dimension of discourse. Explain the objectives and delimitation of the course focusing on the relationship between cognition, social cognition (in particular ideology), and discourse.

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5 Oct (Saturday), 16:00 to 19:00 (CEST time zone): The study of cognition and discourse I. Basic concepts to explain the processing (production and comprehension) of discourse: cognition, brain, mind, structures, processes and strategies, mental, memory, types of memory.

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12 Oct (Saturday), 16:00 to 19:00 (CEST time zone): The study of cognition and discourse II. Cognitive structures: frames, scripts, plans, strategies, mental models, context models.

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19 Oct (Saturday), 16:00 to 19:00 (CEST time zone): The study of social cognition and discourse I. Social cognition: knowledge, ideologies, and attitudes. The reproduction of social cognitions through discourse.

 

26 Oct (Saturday), 16:00 to 19:00 (CEST time zone): The study of social cognition and discourse II. Social cognitions and their relation to power and resistance. The particular case of ideology: the multidisciplinary theory of ideology.

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2 Nov (Saturday), 16:00 to 19:00 (CET time zone): Ideology and its relationship with identity, values, and social conflict. Ideologies of power and resistance. Ideologies and discourse.

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8 Nov (Friday), 17:00 to 19:00 (CET time zone): Teun van Dijk's lecture on discourse and knowledge. The role of knowledge in discourse processing. And discourse as the main means of knowledge construction and reproduction.

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