by Jeongon Choi, PhD Candidate, Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures

By Brooke Burns, PhD Candidate, Department of Philosophy

By Isabella Clark, PhD Candidate, Department of Sociology

by Gloria Macedo-Janto, PhD Student, Department of Romance Languages 

by Holly Moulton, PhD Candidate, Department of Environmental Studies 

by Daizi Hazarika, PhD Candidate, Department of Anthropology 

by Rosa M. O’Connor Acevedo, PhD Candidate, Department of Philosophy

by Annie Ring, PhD Candidate, Department of Philosophy 

J.L. Austin’s How to Do Things with Words demonstrates that language is not just descriptive but in some cases is performative. That is, Austin’s speech act theory argues that language itself performs, changes, or does things in the world. Speech act theory classically considered institutions like marriage, where a pronouncement weds people into a legally binding relation, or boat christening, where naming and blessing a boat before the maiden voyage protects its passengers (Austin).

by W. Jamie Yang, PhD Candidate, Department of Sociology

by Min Young Park, PhD Candidate, Department of English