The study of language politics, language planning and policy-making focuses on how social groups, governments, and other bodies, are involved in language issues, such as language teaching. There are few countries in the world today where language does not give rise to political debates. The state is frequently involved in the way decisions are taken about the languages to be used and promoted in various domains of public life (e.g. education, justice, the media) and even about what ''counts'' as a language. This course aims at providing some understanding of works conducted in this field, the way in which they are developing and the problems they face. There will be an emphasis on practical examples of language planning and policy issues drawn from Canada and other countries, and there will be scope for students to nominate examples, topics or case studies for class consideration. The course is suitable for students interested in the wider policy contexts in Canada and overseas of language education and language issues.