Netherlands

This course discusses and develops critical social-scientific perspectives on citizenship, belonging, and difference in contemporary, late-capitalist societies. In a world characterized by flux and the transgression of geographic and symbolic boundaries, a great deal of effort is invested in fixing and freezing identities and controlling and regulating borders. This dialectic of flow and closure is examined from a critical perspective that places contemporary social and cultural dynamics in the historical context of the rise of modern capitalism and nationalism while taking into account 19th and 20th-century experiences of colonialism, authoritarianism, and fascism. The first part of the course focuses on theories of modernity, citizenship, and differences in the political and social sciences, political philosophy, and the humanities. In the second part, several contemporary issues, including (the rise of) new forms of nationalism and the far right; debates about religious diversity and secularism; gender and sexuality; race and racism; and the transformation & politics of identity in neoliberal societies are the focus. The course brings together perspectives from various fields, while especially focusing on perspectives from the global south and from (relatively) marginalized academic fields, like queer studies, critical race perspectives, and postcolonial studies. Students develop and undertake a small research project on identity, based on which they write a final paper.

The course focuses on prejudice, discrimination, and intergroup relations. In particular, it discussed how the majority group reacts to minority groups in society. How prejudices develop, for instance, how negative attitudes follow from threats to people's identities, or their belongings are studied. The consequences of prejudices for intergroup interactions and, in particular, which political decisions are made, and which policies are implemented are examined. A special focus is on approaches to reduce prejudice and foster the cohesion of majority and minority groups in society. Attention to paid to existing prejudice toward other social groups such as religious or sexual minorities.

Lifting the Iron Curtain studies the political, social, and economic transformation of Eastern Europe from the end of the First World War till today. This multidisciplinary course can be divided into two major parts: a historical one devoted to the short twentieth century until 1989-91 and a more contemporary one exploring the achievements and shortcomings of the three decades since. The first half of the course starts by examining East-West relations in Europe on a material and discursive level. It continues by discussing the emergence and characteristics of the post-imperial order after the First World War. It also focuses on the practically simultaneous imposition of the Bolshevik regime in the (newly created) Soviet Union as well as the brutal development of this regime under Lenin and Stalin. The course subsequently includes four meetings on the post-war (Soviet) era west of the Soviet Union, respectively devoted to the origins of Soviet-type regimes in Eastern Europe; the major challenges these regimes had to face, such as the Hungarian uprising or the Prague Spring, and how they responded to them; the reasons behind their unexpected and sudden collapse in 1989-91; and, last but not least, continental and global perspectives on these developments. As mentioned, the second half of the course assesses the political and economic transformation of Eastern Europe since 1989-91. Questions regarding democratization and the quality of democracy in the region as well as the European opening and the related expectations, hopes, and frustrations are the center of attention. The course closes with a discussion of the major challenges Eastern Europe confronts today.

This course covers the foundations of interdisciplinary research in marine socio-ecological systems. Marine socio-ecological components, their importance, and major challenges are reviewed. The content is centered around the themes of Nature, Food, and Society. Specialized training by the Wageningen University library is provided. Real-life challenges for marine socio-ecological systems are used to illustrate the complexity and co-dependency of such systems and to create a tangible framework for the in-depth knowledge required to solve such complex challenges. The course introduces the most relevant foundational knowledge and approaches of the main disciplines involved and the importance of temporal and spatial scales of land-sea interactions. Cases are complemented with day excursions. Students study material individually but also discuss and practice the key concepts and questions in peer-learning groups with a coach. At the end of each week, students perform a mandatory ungraded self-assessment, for which they must score 80% to pass. Students complete a project in small groups, in which they are asked to apply the theory to contribute to the solution of a complex marine problem or challenge. The students write a script and present the results in a knowledge clip.

This course focuses on data analysis, an algorithmic-driven method of extracting text from (large) corpora, in literary and historical sources and social media.  The course includes a mini big data project to provide hands-on experience and an understanding of the affordances and limitations of data analysis methods. No background in the methods or programming skills is needed. Easy-to-learn web-based tools and software are used. Theoretically, the course explores how the representation of text in more visual formats which are typically removed from its semantic contexts, offers opportunities for both new insights as well as misrepresentation. Concepts covered include distant reading, algorithmic visualization, and data feminism. This course helps students become more savvy users of digital information: the implications and challenges that methods and technologies pose to conventional research, analysis, and publication in the arts, humanities, and social sciences, including issues such as transparency, authenticity, and bias.

This course traces technological developments and cross-cultural influences of food production in human history and demonstrates the effect of the evolution of historical civilizations up to the present. Engaging with this long temporal view helps students to reflect on the origins and effects of technological developments in food production. The course consists of three thematic and chronological blocks: the origins of agriculture (Neolithic agriculture; systems of land exploitation); the global diffusion of plants and animals (separation between Old and New World; Columbian Exchange); and the development of modern industrial food technology (changes in food processing technologies and consumption practices; industrial revolution; role of science in food production). 

This course offers a study of visual cultures and the theoretical insights garnered by the study of this interdisciplinary field. The course provides an introduction to the field of visual culture and explores topics including vision, visuality, and image in conjunction with varying conceptualizations of culture. Each subsequent unit deals with a “site” of visual culture that offers an object of study, a theoretical problem, and an interdisciplinary opportunity. Visual cultures from high to low are studied along with an examination of how these forms are quickly transforming and breaking barriers of category and genre. The principal sites of inquiry traverse fashion, gaming, museum exhibitions, medical imaging, comics, and cinema. This course requires that students have completed a course in the humanities as a prerequisite.

This course offers a broad understanding of current-day processes of resource competition and provides key conceptual building blocks to analyze its dynamics and outcomes. How resource competition is conceptualized informs the direction in which we look for solutions. The course examines resource competition in terms of 'new enclosures', stressing resource capture by powerful actors at the expense of less powerful users. It pays attention to the interplay of power and politics, the law, and violence. Students discuss several theoretical approaches to resource competition, most importantly: political ecology, legal anthropology, and conflict studies. The course discusses current approaches to address resource conflict and prevent ‘grabbing’, such as due diligence, land rights registration, and civil society advocacy. 

Knowledge of foodborne microorganisms is essential for supplying safe and wholesome foods with a long shelf life. This course offers an introduction to the basics of food microbiology and discusses both the negative aspects of micro-organisms, such as spoilage and disease and the positive effects of fermentative processes. Characteristics of food that influence growth and inactivation of micro-organisms (e.g. water activity, pH, preservatives, heating, modified atmosphere packaging) are reviewed. The course provides a detailed introduction to the main bacterial foodborne pathogens (e.g. Campylobacter, Salmonella, E. coli O157, Listeria monocytogenes) and methods for microbial examination, but also deals with foodborne viruses, parasites, and fungi. Moreover, good manufacturing practices, personal hygiene, and the principles of cleaning and disinfection are explained. In a three-week lab class, spoilage organisms and pathogens are isolated from food products and environments using traditional and molecular methods. In the tutorial classes, molecular identification methods are explored, and the effect of several bactericidal treatments is investigated.