a new book suitable for linganth courses, including intro level

[Janina Fenigsen]

Hello everyone,

Ilana Gershon's new book, The Breakup 2.0, is out. The first chapter
of the book is about media ideologies and directly inspired by
language ideology work. It is also very accessible, it really can be
taught to freshmen.

The Breakup 2.0 -- the publisher's book description

A few generations ago, college students showed their romantic
commitments by exchanging special objects: rings, pins, varsity letter
jackets. Pins and rings were handy, telling everyone in local
communities that you were spoken for, and when you broke up, the
absence of a ring let everyone know you were available again. Is being
Facebook official really more complicated, or are status updates just
a new version of these old tokens? Many people are now fascinated by
how new media has affected the intricacies of relationships and their
dissolution. People often talk about Facebook and Twitter
as platforms that have led to a seismic shift in transparency and
(over)sharing. What are the new rules for breaking up? These rules are
argued over and mocked in venues from the New York Times to
lamebook.com, but well-thought-out and informed considerations of the
topic are rare. Ilana Gershon was intrigued by the degree to which her
students used new media to communicate important romantic information
such as "its over". She decided to get to the bottom of the matter by
interviewing seventy-two people about how they use Skype, texting,
voice mail, instant messaging, Facebook, and cream stationery to end
relationships. She opens up the world of romance as it is conducted in
a digital milieu, offering insights into the ways in which different
media influence behavior, beliefs, and social mores. Above all, this
full-fledged ethnography of Facebook and other new tools is about
technology and communication, but it also tells the reader a great
deal about what college students expect from each other when breaking
upand from their friends who are the spectators or witnesses to the
ebb and flow of their relationships. The Breakup 2.0 is accessible and
riveting.

http://amzn.com/080144859X