Language, Culture & Cognition Course | IIT Guwahati | Prof. Bidisha Som
Course Details
| Exam Registration | 121 |
|---|---|
| Course Status | Ongoing |
| Course Type | Elective |
| Language | English |
| Duration | 8 weeks |
| Categories | Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit Points | 2 |
| Level | Undergraduate/Postgraduate |
| Start Date | 19 Jan 2026 |
| End Date | 13 Mar 2026 |
| Enrollment Ends | 02 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Registration Ends | 16 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Date | 29 Mar 2026 IST |
| NCrF Level | 4.5 — 8.0 |
Unlocking the Human Mind: A Journey into Language, Culture, and Cognition
Have you ever wondered how the language you speak shapes the way you think? Or how your cultural background influences the very structure of your thoughts? The intricate relationship between language, culture, and cognition is one of the most fascinating frontiers in understanding what makes us human. We are thrilled to introduce a comprehensive online course that delves deep into this very intersection: Language, Culture And Cognition: An Introduction, offered by the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati.
Course Overview: Bridging Mind, Language, and Society
This 8-week course approaches the study of language from a cutting-edge cognitive science perspective. It moves beyond traditional grammar to explore how language is deeply intertwined with other mental faculties like attention, memory, and executive control. The core premise is that language does not operate in a vacuum. It is a powerful tool that helps us categorize our experiences, frame our realities, and navigate our social and cultural worlds.
The course uniquely embeds this cognitive exploration within a cultural context, examining how different cultural experiences can lead to variations in cognitive and linguistic processes. Whether you're curious about how metaphors shape thought, how the brain processes language, or how bilingualism affects cognitive control, this course provides a rigorous yet accessible introduction.
Meet Your Instructor: Prof. Bidisha Som
The course is led by Prof. Bidisha Som, an accomplished teacher-researcher in Linguistics at IIT Guwahati. With a Masters and PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and over thirteen years of teaching experience, Prof. Som brings a wealth of knowledge to the virtual classroom.
Her research expertise is perfectly aligned with the course content, focusing on:
- Language processing among bilinguals
- The interaction between language and culture
- Cognitive linguistics
Having taught popular B.Tech electives on bilingualism, language-cognition, and sociolinguistics at IIT Guwahati, Prof. Som is adept at making complex linguistic concepts engaging for students from diverse academic backgrounds.
Who Should Enroll?
This course is designed for a wide audience, making it perfect for:
- Undergraduate & Postgraduate Students in Linguistics, Psychology, Cognitive Science, Anthropology, or related fields.
- PhD Scholars looking for a strong foundational overview.
- Faculty Members interested in a Faculty Development Programme.
- Any curious learner fascinated by the human mind, language, and culture.
Detailed 8-Week Course Layout
The course is meticulously structured to build your understanding week by week:
| Week | Topic |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Introduction to cognition, mind, culture and language |
| Week 2 | Categorization its relationship with language; cultural variation. |
| Week 3 | Frames and their use, Frame analysis of culture, metonymy and metaphor |
| Week 4 | Language and embodied mind: image schema, social cognition |
| Week 5 | Language acquisition and social cognition |
| Week 6 | Language in the brain: Cognitive neuroscience of language |
| Week 7 | Language processing and attention |
| Week 8 | Language, executive control, simulation semantics |
Key Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Understand the core principles of Cognitive Linguistics and the cognitive neuroscience of language.
- Analyze how language structures like categorization, metaphor, and frames influence thought.
- Explore the concept of the "embodied mind" and how our physical experiences shape language.
- Gain insights into the brain areas responsible for various linguistic functions.
- Examine the dynamic relationship between language, attention, and executive control.
- Appreciate the profound role of culture in shaping cognitive and linguistic processes.
Essential Reading Materials
The course draws from seminal texts in the field, including:
- Kovecses, Zoltan. (2006). Language, Mind and Culture. Oxford University Press.
- Kemmerer, David. (2014). Cognitive Neuroscience of Language. Psychology Press.
- Pishwa, Hannah (ed). (2009). Language and Social Cognition. Mouton de Gruyter.
- Feldman, Jerome. (2008). From Molecule to metaphor: A neural theory of language.
- Gomila, Antoni. (2012). Verbal Minds: language and architecture of cognition.
- Mishra, Ramesh. (2015). Interaction between attention and language systems in humans. Springer.
Why Take This Course?
In today's interconnected world, understanding the links between language, thought, and culture is more critical than ever. This course offers a unique opportunity to learn from a leading expert at a premier institute. It's not just about theory; it's about understanding the latest state-of-the-art research that is unraveling the mysteries of the human mind.
Whether you aim to advance your academic career, enhance your research, or simply satisfy a deep intellectual curiosity, Language, Culture And Cognition: An Introduction will provide you with the tools and perspectives to see the world—and the words we use to describe it—in a completely new light.
Enroll today and embark on a fascinating journey to the core of human experience!
Enroll Now →