070514 UE Foreign Languages in Historical Science 2 (2010S)

Language will serve as a key issue and as a methodological tool to approach the topic. The course will be held in English and offers the experience to communicate in a lingua franca.

Languages in Vienna will be explored with regard to

- the origin of its population and the use of languages

- the co-existence of languages versus linguistic assimilation

- language, dialect, and nationalism

- languages of migrants

- the languages of political dialogue and international organisations

- managing and promoting cultural diversity, dialects and various languages

- language skills as a necessity to explore Global Vienna

The students will explore Vienna's role in global history: once a metropolis of an Empire with global reach, Vienna became a shrinking city after 1918. A second era of international significance was based on Austria's Post World War II neutrality and its ability to serve as an international mediator between East and West (Diplomacy, East-West-Trade, Peace Talks, VIC, OPEC, OSCE, ¿). With the end of communism the city became part of global relocation of investment and migration, attracting tourists, migrants, and asylum seekers as well as international investments and Multinational Companies.