Languages, Cultures & Linguistics
- American Sign Language
- Arabic Studies
- French & Francophone Studies
- German Studies
- Modern Hebrew Studies
- Italian Studies
- Linguistics
- Russian Studies
The mission of the Department of Languages, Cultures & Linguistics consists of engaging students with the linguistic, literary, historical, cultural and global dimensions of the languages taught in the department. Studying a new language provides a transformative learning experience and constitutes the foundation of a liberal arts education. It encourages students to perceive the world through others’ eyes, reflect upon and transcend their own cultural and linguistic background. In the process, students of language become more socially and cross-culturally aware and thus more empathetic leaders in today’s global society. Students in linguistics examine the diversity in the world’s languages and what all languages have in common through a systematic approach to investigating the nature of human language and the mechanisms underlying its acquisition, processing and use. Upon graduation, students in the department’s constituent programs will have acquired competency and literacy in all areas of languages, cultures and linguistics that can be employed in a range of postgraduate learning environments and professional contexts, both at Bucknell and beyond.
Learning a foreign language contributes to a liberal education by providing performative exercises in cultural practices and linguistic concepts that open new perspectives on what it means to be human. Furthermore, foreign language courses allow access to world views expressed in the target language on their own linguistic and cultural terms, thus also making possible a more profound reflection of one’s own source language and culture. The Department of Languages, Cultures & Linguistics’ offerings at all levels investigate and analyze important interconnections among the histories, societies, cultures and languages of the people who speak Arabic, French, German, Hebrew, Italian and Russian, as well as offering students an introduction to American Sign Language and Deaf Culture. The curricula within the Department of Languages, Cultures & Linguistics asserts the importance of attaining fluency not only in the target language but also in the nuances of interpreting the target language’s literatures and other modes of cultural production.
The goal of the Department of Languages, Cultures & Linguistics is to allow students to achieve competency and literacy in the target language to employ that target language in a range of intellectual and professional contexts. The department’s mission is firmly supported by the study of current thinking in linguistics where language is analyzed as a phenomenon in itself. Courses in linguistics link the study of human language to the cognitive underpinning of language acquisition and production in the source and target cultures.
The department offers courses in six modern languages, in American Sign Language and in linguistics. Language courses are regularly offered in Arabic, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Russian and, on occasion, other Slavic languages.
Coursework in all the programs is designed to promote a level of language proficiency and cultural understanding that will enable students to be active participants in a shrinking multicultural world. Each program’s curriculum features a sequence of courses focusing on the development of language skills at the lower level, followed by a transition to upper-level courses that focus on the appreciation and critical analysis of a wide variety of literary and cultural works. As the Goals 2000 document of the National Standards in Foreign Language Education states: “Knowing another language system, another culture and communication strategies enables students to access new information and knowledge, develop insight into their own language and culture, and participate in multilingual communities and a global society.”
Students are strongly encouraged to continue or begin the study of the language(s)/culture(s) of their choice as early in their undergraduate career as possible. Doing so will ensure the possibility of completing a major or minor in the language and will open the door to many stimulating study abroad programs. Many students find that the study of other languages and cultures provides a good background for work in other disciplines. In addition, by working to an advanced level of language proficiency and cultural awareness, students may improve their chances for a Fulbright or other international fellowship after graduation.
Placement: French, German, Italian & Russian
First-year students with prior instruction or background in French, German, Italian and/or Russian should take the online placement examination before arriving at Bucknell regardless of whether they have taken the AP exam or the SAT II. Information on accessing this exam is included in the first-year student registration materials. Any questions regarding placement should be directed to the program directors.
Placement: Arabic
First-year students with prior instruction or background in Arabic should contact the Arabic program director to consult about the appropriate placement level.
World Literature & Culture (in English)
ARBC 220 Transformations of Identities: The Arab Minority in Israel
HEBR 250 Jews and the City: Literature and Film
HEBR 251 The Jewish Uprooted
HEBR 292 After the Holocaust: Israel & United States
EAST 208 The Red Brush: Women Writers in Imperial China
EAST 220 Japanese Warrior in Literature
EAST 229 Late Imperial Chinese Fiction; the Short Stories
ITAL 250 Introduction to Italian Cinema (in English)
| ARBC 203 | Unveiling the Hijab's Culture | 1 |
| EAST 211 | Premodern Japanese Literature in Translation | 1 |
| EAST 212 | Modern Japanese Literature in Translation | 1 |
| EAST 213 | Chinese Literature in Translation | 1 |
| HEBR 215 | Hebrew Bible and Modern Literature (delete) | 1 |
| HEBR 236 | Israel: Literature, Film, Culture | 1 |
| ITAL 240 | Love and Politics (in English) | 1 |
| RUSS 250 | Crimes and Punishments: 19th-century Russian Literature | 1 |
| RUSS 255 | Dangerous Texts: 20th-century Russian Literature | 1 |
| RUSS 330 | Nabokov and His Worlds | 1 |
For descriptions, see the respective programs of the Department of Languages, Cultures & Linguistics, and the Department of East Asian Studies.
Faculty
Professors: Katherine M. Faull, Angèle M. Kingué (Special Adviser to the Provost for Faculty Development), Bernhard Kuhn (ITAL Director), James E. Lavine (LING Director, RUSS Director)
Associate Professors: Nathalie Dupont, Renée K. Gosson (FREN Director), Bastian Heinsohn (GRMN Director), Martin Isleem (ARBC Director), Ludmila S. Lavine, Heidi Lorimor, Anna Paparcone (Co-chair), Lisa A. Perrone (Adjunct), Or Rogovin (HEBR Director), John Westbrook (Co-chair)
Assistant Professors: Hélène Camille Martin, Rebekah Slodounik, Amine Zidouh
Visiting Assistant Professors: Esra Arici, Dena Isleem, Jacob Ladyga, Oksana Willis
Adjunct Instructors: Jessica Goldberg, Ibidunni Osundare