About

Language and Cognition in Argumentation (LANCAR) is a thematic research group based at the Amsterdam Center for Language and Communication (ACLC) at the Faculty of Humanities (FGw) of the University of Amsterdam (UvA).

The central aim of the researchers involved in the LANCAR group is to complement existing approaches to argumentation with linguistically advanced models of argument processing, assessment, and production. They do so for scientific reasons, to gain a better theoretical understanding of argumentation as the expression of reasoning in language, and also for societal reasons, to contribute to the improvement of people’s argument-checking and critical thinking skills through the further development of argumentation technology.

The members and research affiliates of the LANCAR group come from various disciplinary backgrounds. They conjoin their expertise in several cross-disciplinary research projects, thereby combining insights from the philosophy of argument with cutting-edge theories and methods from various subfields of linguistics.

To anchor the research in society, the LANCAR group is collaborating with several valorization partners in projects that are aimed at generating societal impact.

The members of the LANCAR group are teaching several research-based BA, (R)MA, and honors courses at the University of Amsterdam, and occasionally elsewhere. More information about these courses, as well as about tutorials, research internships, and (R)MA thesis supervision can be found on the information for students page.