This course covers not only about language learning imposed by economic or political agendas, but also language choices entered into freely for reasons of social mobility, economic advantage or group identity. The course is divided into three parts. The first part reviews the development and role of standard languages in the construction of national communities and identities. The second part examines the linguistic accommodation of groups in contact, major lingua francas and the case of international English. The third part explores reactions to nationalism and globalization, with some attention to language rights.