This course aims at understanding variation mainly from a sociolinguistics perspective, but while also considering some relevant cues from generative views of the phenomenon. It will cover aspects of language change (bilingualism, multilingualism, language deaths, pidgin and creole formation etc.) as explained by feature-based and parameter-based grammars, as well by socio-cultural-political factors. The focus will then shift towards how homogenization of language also happens - combating the natural tendency towards variation - triggered by external factors. Concepts of race, gender, nation and identity will also be brought up to show the pervasive role of language in varied aspects of our socio-cultural-political lives.