Center for the Study of Language and Society (CSLS)

The Center for the Study of Language and Society (CSLS) at the University of Bern is dedicated to research and advocacy on the intersection between language and society. We conceive of this intersection in its widest sense. As a result, our work focuses on exploring how social changes affect languages and language use, how social beliefs and ideologies are reproduced and transmitted through language, and how, conversely, beliefs about language and language users have lasting social impacts. In particular, we aim to foster studies of the relationship between language, inequality and social (in)justice in all of its forms. We support and enable research and training on these topics at the postgraduate and postdoctoral levels, and work to promote the importance of language and language issues to a broad public, both within and outside of academia.

The CSLS offers an MA in Sociolinguistics and a PhD in Language in Society. For more details about our study programs, see here.

News and Events

Speech-To-Text Workshop

In this multi-part workshop in collaboration with the Digital Humanities, we offer a general introduction to Automated Speech Recognition (ASR) using OpenAI Whisper. For more information, click here.

Guest Lecture with Prof Gerald Stell

For more information, click here.

MAXQDA Starter Workshop

The MAXQDA Starter Workshop begins with a brief overview of the programme interface. Participants will then work through the content in demonstrations and independent, guided exercises. For more information, click here.

Sociolinguistics Career Lab with Rahel Bader and CSLS Alumni

In this full-day workshop, you will meet several CSLS alumni, who will talk about their current careers and how skills from the Sociolinguistics MA inform their current work. You will also gain hands-on skills, with focus on the nuances of the Swiss system and how to package skills acquired in language-based MA programs.