Netherlands

An exploration of vertebrate evolution and paleobiology, with emphasis on the anatomical and physiological transformations that occurred at the evolutionary originations of major vertebrate groups.  The structure and function of both extant and extinct taxa are explored, as documented by modern fauna and the fossil record. Topics studied include locomotion and the origin of fins and limbs, the transition from water to land, dinosaur physiology, the origin of flight, and mammalian reproduction.

This course explores how to create a sustainable future by moving away from dependence on fossil resources to biomass resources for the production of food, chemicals, and energy carriers. Microorganisms and catalysts to create biobased products are discovered and then learning how to market and sell those products within a profitable business model is reviewed. This course provides a solid foundation of relevant concepts in the biobased economy and biobased products by reviewing an introduction to biobased sciences, production of biomass, biorefining, achieving sustainability, consumer behavior, bioconversion, (bio)chemical conversion, business, logistics and supply chains, and economy and regulations.

The course reviews agglomeration and clustering of economic activities from both geographical and urban economics disciplinary perspectives, in relation to cluster and urban economic policy. The course explains the current innovative and knowledge economy of firms and policymaking in relation to urban competitiveness. The geographical discipline focuses on clusters, network formation and industry evolution using institutional theories in which the actor-approach of firms and governments is central. Urban economics traditionally focuses on the role of externalities and urban contexts as attractions for firm and population location decisions and the growth and innovation potentials of firms in a more quantitative sense. Both disciplines heavily lean on empirical research, using complementary research methods like case-study research, surveys, spatial econometrics and general equilibrium modelling. Those methods are explained in the course in relation to current issues and empirical research on urban development. Much attention is given to regional and urban economic policy issues. Participants apply the theoretical and empirical insights from the lectures in an actual case study of urban policy in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

Positive psychology was introduced by Martin Seligman around 2000 and can be viewed as a supplementary approach to clinical psychology. The positive psychological movement formulated three aims: (1) to focus on well-being and happiness instead of abnormal behavior and psychopathology, (2) to be concerned with building positive qualities and strengths instead of repairing damage, and (3) to prevent future problems instead of correcting past and present problems. This course starts with a general introduction to the field of positive psychology. The main concepts are introduced and clarified, and an overview of the results of happiness studies is presented. In subsequent meetings, various topics are discussed in lectures and group discussions including mindfulness, positive emotions, resilience, self-determination theory, self-compassion, and research in the field. There is ample room to gain hands-on experience with positive psychological techniques ranging from simple journaling exercises to mindfulness meditation. The course provides participants with the tools to be able to evaluate and design research in the area of positive psychology, but also with the skills to apply some important intervention techniques. Final assessment is by means of an individual paper on a topic of choice within the field of positive psychology. The course includes a field trip.

This course focuses on the relationship between science and magic in the period between 1500 and 1700. Although the two seem mutually exclusive in our age, in the early modern period that was by no means obvious. It is, in fact, impossible for historians of this period to maintain rigid distinctions between tradition and innovation, the natural and supernatural, between the rational and irrational, fact and fantasy, the ridiculous and the sensible, popular and scholarly discourse. Students learn how magic and science were intricately, and often indistinguishably, intertwined in the minds of people in Western Europe.

Our contemporary world is deeply permeated with media and new technologies that inherently influence the way we communicate, transfer knowledge, exchange information, offer representations, and experience reality and its possible imaginaries. This course traces the development of such media technologies (print media, telephony, radio, television, film, internet, mobiles, games) and accounts for their historical transformations while focusing on their intermedial character and their relation to other arts (literature, photography, performing arts, painting, architecture, music). The course takes into account archeological and philosophical notions of media and how new forms of communication exert social, cultural, and political influences in a global context. In particular, the course addresses fandom and popular culture, gender and race in networked spaces, convergence culture, intellectual property, the role and function of social networks in the redefinition of the public sphere, notions of citizenship and democracy, and the future of digital humanities.